Juvenile Diabetes

Best Type 1 Diabetes Treatment in Hyderabad, India

The condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin is categorised as Juvenile diabetes. These are commonly known as type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. Insulin allows sugar in the form of glucose to reach out to the cells of the body, which in turn provides and gives food energy. 

Juvenile Diabetes is a chronic condition and can be due to many underlying factors such as genetics. As the name suggests, these are commonly found in children or adolescents. However, adults can also develop type 1 diabetes due to other influential factors. 

One can’t cure diabetes, however, with the help of proper management and treatment, it can be maintained. To prevent complications, doctors at CARE Hospitals suggest opting for lifestyle changes including insulin intake and healthy diets.

Types of diabetes in children

Diabetes in children primarily falls into two main types: Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes. 

• Type 1 Diabetes
  • What It Is: An autoimmune disease where the body doesn’t produce insulin, a hormone needed to use sugar for energy.
  • Age: Usually diagnosed in children and teenagers.
  • Symptoms: Thirsty all the time, frequent urination, weight loss, tiredness.
  • Treatment: Requires daily insulin injections or use of an insulin pump.
• Type 2 Diabetes
  • What It Is: The body doesn’t use insulin properly or doesn’t produce enough insulin.
  • Age: More common in older children, especially those who are overweight.
  • Symptoms: Similar to Type 1, but often less noticeable; may include tiredness and frequent urination.
  • Treatment: Managed with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise; sometimes requires medication or insulin.
• Other Types
  • Monogenic Diabetes: Caused by a change in a single gene; can run in families.
  • Secondary Diabetes: Occurs due to other health conditions or medications.

Symptoms 

Type 1 diabetes can be prominently seen in children and give out immediate signs and symptoms. However, proper diagnosis is required prior to the treatment as these symptoms may be due to other underlying issues.

The symptoms are:

• Increased thirst

• Frequent urination

• Bed-wetting in children 

• Extreme hunger

• Unintended weight loss

• Irritability

• Other mood changes like anxiety 

• Fatigue

• Weakness

• Blurred vision

If these symptoms continue, consult the doctor immediately. 

Risks

There are a lot of risk factors associated with type 1 or juvenile diabetes, like-

• Family History - Genes play an important role even in acquiring chronic health problems. If one of the family members is type 1 positive, you can be prone to juvenile diabetes.

• Genetics - If you have a certain diabetic gene in your markups, you’ll be prone to type 1 diabetes.

• Geography - When one travels away from the equator, the chances of type 1 diabetes increase.

• Age - Juvenile diabetes can be acquired at any age but the general peak ages are 4-7 years in younger children and 10-14 years in pre-teen children.

Diagnosis 

The methods used for diagnosis include; 

• Glycated haemoglobin A1C test- the average blood sugar level is calculated and analysed in the A1C tests. It gives the analyses of 2-3 months and will measure the blood-sugar percentage with an oxygen-carrying protein in haemoglobin. Higher blood sugar levels indicate more sugar attached with Hb. A level of 6.5 and higher indicates a higher chance of diabetes. 

• Not everyone is suitable for these tests like pregnant women and hence are recommended different diagnostic tests

• Random blood sugar test- Random testing will be done on the blood sample to analyse the sugar level. This can be repeated more than once and is expressed in mg/dL. A level higher than 200 will indicate sugar or diabetes.

• Fasting blood sugar test- this test is conducted after a fast; that is overnight fast. A value equal to 126 or higher indicates sugar in these tests.

• After the diagnosis, a test to know autoantibodies is done. These are common in type 1 diabetes and are run through blood tests. The common presence is validated by the presence of ketones. 

• The doctors will also take blood and urine samples to check the liver function, thyroid, kidney, and cholesterol levels periodically. Physical examinations will also be done like the BP and sugar levels.

Treatment 

There are a lot of treatments available for juvenile diabetes that are done to manage and maintain diabetes levels. These are:

• Taking insulin

• Carbohydrate, fat and protein count

• Blood sugar monitoring 

• Eating a good diet 

• Maintaining a normal weight 

Insulin and other medications 

• Lifelong insulin therapy can help to manage juvenile diabetes. There are 4 types of insulin available- short-acting or regular, rapid-acting, intermediate-acting or NPH, and long-acting. 
• These are taken via injections or an insulin pump. Orally they would lower the blood sugar level. 
• Injection- insulin pens or syringes are available for this procedure and one would need a mixture of insulin types. One would need 3 or more insulin injections to improve these levels.
• Insulin Pump- These are worn on the body and have a tube that connects a reservoir of insulin to a catheter. It is inserted under the abdomen. It can be worn on the waistband or just in the pocket. 
• Artificial pancreas- Children 14 years of age and older can also use artificial pancreases that are exclusively made to treat type 1 diabetes. This is also known as closed-loop insulin delivery and is an implanted device. The insulin pump would check the sugar level periodically and deliver the right amount of insulin to the body. 
• Medications for high blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering drive can also be used. 

Blood sugar monitoring 

• Doctors suggest checking the blood sugar at least 4-5 times a day and keeping a record of it- before the meal, after the meal, after waking up, or before going to sleep.

• Continuous glucose monitoring or the CGM is a new technology that checks blood sugar levels. It can prevent hypoglycemia and can lower the A1C. 

Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle 

• Weight management is very important if one has diabetes. Hence, it is recommended to follow a nutritious diet along with cardiovascular exercises and move the body along.

• Your diet should be nutritious and contain carbohydrates, proteins, fats and fibre in optimal quality and quantity.

• Give up the junk food and opt for more healthy options like dry fruits and fruits

• Follow a workout regime of Yoga, muscle training and physical aerobic exercises like walking, swimming or running. Devote at least ½ hour for these workouts.

Closed-loop system

A closed-loop system is an implanted device that connects a continuous glucose monitor with an insulin pump. The monitor regularly checks blood sugar levels, and the system automatically delivers the correct amount of insulin when needed.

The FDA has approved several hybrid closed-loop systems for managing type 1 diabetes. These systems are termed "hybrid" because they still require some user involvement, such as entering the amount of carbohydrates consumed or occasionally verifying blood sugar levels.

A fully automated closed-loop system without any user input is not yet available, but several are currently undergoing clinical trials.

Complications

Here are the complications of juvenile diabetes (mostly Type 1 diabetes in children).

• Short-Term Complications
  • Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia): This can happen if a child takes too much insulin or skips a meal. Symptoms include shakiness, sweating, confusion, and dizziness. Severe cases can lead to fainting or seizures.
  • High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia): Occurs when there isn’t enough insulin. Symptoms include excessive thirst, frequent urination, and tiredness. If very high, it can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which is a serious condition requiring immediate medical attention.
• Long-Term Complications
  • Heart Problems: Increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure as the child grows older.
  • Nerve Damage: This can cause pain or loss of feeling, especially in the feet and legs.
  • Kidney Damage: This can lead to kidney disease and, in severe cases, kidney failure.
  • Eye Damage: This can affect vision and may lead to problems like blurry vision or even blindness.
  • Dental Issues: Higher chance of gum disease and tooth decay due to high blood sugar levels.
• Other Complications
  • Skin Problems: Increased risk of skin infections and other skin issues.
  • Mental Health: Children may experience anxiety or depression due to the challenges of managing diabetes.
  • Growth Issues: Poorly managed diabetes can affect a child’s growth and development.

Lifestyle challenges faced by children

Children with juvenile diabetes (Type 1 diabetes) face several lifestyle challenges:

• Frequent Blood Checks: They need to check their blood sugar levels many times a day, which can feel tiring and uncomfortable.
• Insulin Injections: Children have to take insulin shots or use a pump daily, which can be scary or stressful, especially for younger kids.
• Food Choices: They have to watch what they eat, especially sugary foods, and balance their meals with insulin, making parties or outings difficult.
• Exercise Planning: Physical activities can lower blood sugar, so they need to plan ahead and carry snacks to prevent low blood sugar.
• Social Stress: Children may feel different from their friends and get anxious about managing diabetes in front of others.
• School Support: They need special care at school, like having snacks, checking their sugar levels, and making sure teachers understand their needs.
• Sleep Disruptions: Worrying about low blood sugar at night can lead to sleepless nights for both children and parents.

Side effects of type 1 diabetes treatment

The treatment for juvenile diabetes (Type 1 diabetes) helps manage blood sugar, but it can have some side effects:

• Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia): Taking too much insulin or skipping meals can cause blood sugar to drop too low. This may lead to dizziness, shaking, confusion, or even fainting.
• Weight Gain: Some children may gain weight because insulin helps the body store sugar as fat.
• Skin Problems: Regular insulin injections can cause skin irritation or lumps where the injections are given.
• High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia): If insulin doses aren’t balanced properly, blood sugar can get too high, making the child feel thirsty, tired, or sick.
• Infections: High blood sugar levels can make children more likely to get infections, like skin or urinary tract infections.
• Emotional Stress: Constantly managing diabetes can be tiring and stressful for children, sometimes leading to anxiety or frustration.

Why Choose CARE Hospitals?

Type 1 or Juvenile Diabetes is one of the leading chronic diseases worldwide for children and kids.  At CARE Hospitals we aim to provide proper management techniques against type 1 diabetes. 

With our extensive and comprehensive approach towards human welfare and wellness, we provide proper diagnosis against type 1 diabetes. Our world-class technology may help you and give you a new life.  Follow the treatments and management plan to get the best results out of the doctors at CARE Hospitals.