Although nowadays called Type 1 Diabetes, the disease sometimes called juvenile diabetes is most frequently diagnosed in children under 18. If you find yourself parenting a juvenile diabetic, there are things you will have to learn.
First of all, diabetes is a lifelong condition, without a cure as of yet. With proper management, however, diabetes should not affect your child’s life too much.
If you suspect your child is diabetic but he has not yet been diagnosed, some of the symptoms to look out for are: frequent fatigue, constant hunger or thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, blurry eyesight, or having no feeling in the feet.
Some simple tests can be done to detect diabetes for certain, with either blood or urine. If it turns out your child does have diabetes, he will have to have blood pressure tested yearly at least. The doctor will check the skin of the feet and legs, check hemoglobin, cholesterol, kidney function, and recommend that your child see your dentist and ophthalmologist frequently.
Treatment is a particularly important part of a diabetic’s life, and your child may need a brief hospital stay to correct his blood sugar levels if the diabetes was suddenly diagnosed. Many complications can arise from diabetes, so it’s important to monitor the conditions of several body systems to avoid this.
Depending on his age, your child will have to learn many different steps in self-treatment, including treatment of high and low blood sugar, healthy meal planning, how to monitor his blood and ketone levels, and what to do when he is sick. Since you are his parent, you will also have to learn these things and possibly teach them to him.
Having type 1 diabetes means your child cannot produce his own insulin, so he must take it frequently in order to allow blood sugar to exit his bloodstream and enter body cells. Typically, this means he must inject insulin. Sometimes this means daily, sometimes more frequently. Your health care professional will advise you how often it is necessary to inject, and teach him how to do it if he is old enough.
Your child must learn to monitor his physical exercise levels and adjust his diet and insulin accordingly, and will learn how to check his blood sugar levels. The procedure may seem intimidating to the squeamish, but it is painless and becomes almost automatic after some time.
Your child may also have to take medications to prevent complications with his eyes, kidneys, and so on. Even so, complications may occur regardless of how well he cares for his diabetes. It is important to be aware of these complications and prepare for them just in case, but don’t focus too much on them unless they become an issue.
Make sure your child learns how to care for his condition and monitor him when necessary, and he can have a happy and fulfilling childhood regardless of his condition. Diabetes does not prevent many people from leading happy, healthy, fulfilling lives.
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- When is Your Child Sick Enough to Stay Home from School?
- When Your Child Gets Lice
- How to Get Your Teen to Eat Healthy
Tags: Juvenile Diabetes