Childhood-onset diabetes is one of the most disturbing epidemics plaguing our world today. Luckily, however, the disease itself is not so disturbing if the parent and child take care of monitoring blood sugar levels and keep a healthy lifestyle. Childhood-onset diabetes is primarily type-1 diabetes, but more and more frequently children are beginning to get type-2 diabetes as well. The symptoms of each type are, for the most part, the same. They are:

Type 1 Symptoms

  • Frequent urination
  • Unusual thirst
  • Extreme hunger
  • Unusual weight loss
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Irritability

 

Type 2 Diabetes

** Any of the type 1 symptoms

  • Frequent infections
  • Blurred vision
  • Cut/bruises that are slow to heal
  • Tingling/numbness in the hands/feet
  • Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections

 

Controlling Childhood-Onset Diabetes

 

Too much, or not enough, sugar in the blood stream can lead to problems that must be treatment right away. In childhood, management of blood sugar levels is extremely important. Children who don’t control their blood sugar levels often have trouble with growth and development. Some even experience a delay in the onset of puberty.

Too much sugar in the bloodstream can lead to long-term damage over time; such damage includes damage to vital organs, kidney disease, vision problems, nerve complications, and oral complications. These problems won’t normally affect kids during childhood, but learning the skills of managing the disease must star early or the child will face major problems in adulthood.

Low blood sugar levels can interfere with the child’s participation in school or other activities. This makes it hard to cope with diabetes and achieve a healthy, happy childhood and adulthood. The biggest cause of low blood sugar levels in childhood-onset of diabetes is children skipping meals. So, a good care-giver should keep an eye out for this.

Childhood diabetes is a three-way balancing act, according to KidsHealth.org. Medications such as insulin, meals, and activity levels must remained balanced in order to keep blood sugars under control. It is important, as a caregiver, to manage these things for your child. However, you should just oversee the process so that the child knows how to manage them for themselves. This is the only way to ensure the child brings healthy skills with them into adulthood. Of course, little ones may need extra help but allow they can learn as they go along, especially about nutrition.

Caregivers should help and ensure that the child is doing the following to keep their diabetes blood sugars under control:

  • Taking medications as prescribed
  • Following a meal plan
  • Getting regular exercise
  • Monitoring blood sugar levels

 

Remember that a child’s blood sugar level will fluctuate in times of illness and stress, so keep a close eye on blood sugar levels at times like these. Exercise can make a child’s blood sugar drop very quickly, so make sure that they always have a snack nearby and they drink plenty of water. Also, keep in mind that meals need to be planned around medications so that their blood sugar does not dip or peak. Ask your doctor for any advice on this, if needed.