This is a collaborative post
If you have recently been told that your child has type 1 diabetes, it can be a confusing time. Often, the diagnosis will have come as such a shock, that you’ll have forgotten everything you were told, and now you aren’t sure what it means for your child. In this article, we cover the basics for families living with such a diagnosis.
Juvenile Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is often referred to as juvenile diabetes because it most commonly affects children. It usually starts when they’re young and their body doesn’t react as expected. The pancreas has beta cells that, when damaged, don’t perform as they should. Children with type 1 cannot produce sufficient insulin, and it is insulin that allows glucose derived from food to reach its cells. When the cells have insufficient insulin, it can cause various new health risks.
While type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition, effective treatment for type 1 diabetes means your child can still live a full and happy life. You can seek advice from the experts at The London Diabetes Centre on how to manage the condition. The London Diabetes Centre can help you put together a plan when it comes to treatment for type 1 diabetes. Having a consultation with them can provide a clear way forward.
Symptoms to Be Aware Of
As a parent, you may have noticed some of the following symptoms in your child.
Fatigue
A child who has lost their energy for life is instantly noticeable because they’re usually so energetic. Fatigue is due to insufficient insulin reaching the body’s cells to provide the energy to run around.
Hunger
Similarly, it’s possible to eat well and still not feel that they’ve had enough food. As a parent, you want to ensure your child doesn’t overeat, but it’s also difficult to refuse them when they say they’re still hungry.
Thirsty
Excessive thirst is another symptom that something might be wrong. This is often paired with more regular urination too. Also, if they’re having more accidents in their bed than normal, this comes under this category too.
Lifelong Diagnosis
Unlike type 2 diabetes which can sometimes go into remission, type 1 is a lifelong disease. It is believed to relate to an auto-immune problem, but doctors haven’t found a cure for it yet. For a child, that means they have an additional burden to growing up, going to school, completing homework, and so forth. Your son or daughter must be taught how to check their blood sugar. Setting an alarm on their phone can be a reminder to do so. Also, you can find diabetes related apps that can perform this function too. They need to take the medicine before their blood sugar reaches an unsafe level. Hypoglycaemia can result when they take too much of a break between meals or a light snack. Going through this with them when they’re old enough to manage it themselves is necessary.
Ultimately, for parents with a diabetic child, it is a new challenge that they must adjust to. It will require changes to routines and parenting techniques. However, know that many parents have managed the situation. There is also help from clinics specialising in this type of diagnosis that can provide assistance to get through it.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post