What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a common disease, but not all individuals truly know the features and characteristics of the condition. Knowing the triggers and potential risks can help you get rid of the problem, as well as find the right measures that will hopefully minimize the chances. You will also learn more about treatment and medications, provided you already know the type that you have. Here is some more information on the nature and things to expect.

1. Overview of the Condition

Diabetes mellitus or just diabetes, is a condition wherein a person develops high blood sugar or glucose level because the body is not producing right amounts of insulin, or due to body cells not correctly responding to insulin being produced. Insulin is a kind of hormone created in the pancreas that allows cells in the body to absorb glucose and convert it into energy. If the cells of the body do not readily absorb glucose, it accumulates in the blood, thereby triggering hyperglycemia. Other complications can also follow.

2. Types of Diabetes

There are several kinds of diabetes, but the most commonly known are Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is triggered by the body’s failure to create insulin naturally. The person will need to inject insulin. Type 2 diabetes comes from insulin resistance, described as a condition wherein the cells fail to use insulin correctly, at times mixed with total deficiency in insulin. Gestational diabetes occurs among pregnant women, who did not have the problem before. These women also have high blood glucose level at the time of pregnancy. The condition may occur before Type 2 diabetes mellitus occurs.

3. Other Forms

Other types of diabetes mellitus include congenital diabetes, which occurs because of the genetic problems of insulin secretion, steroid diabetes triggered by high doses of glucocorticoids, cystic fibrosis-linked diabetes and several monogenic diabetes forms. All types of diabetes can be treated effectively since the time insulin was made medically available in 1921. The specific cure, however, is not yet present. There is little success in Type 1 DM when it comes to pancreas transplants. With Type 2 DM, gastric bypass surgery can be successful. The gestational type usually occurs right after pregnancy.

4. On Complications

Complications can happen with each type of diabetes. Acute complications can vary, such as hyperosmolar coma, non-ketonic hypoglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis. More serious long term complications include chronic renal failure, cardiovascular disease and retinal damage. The right treatment of diabetes is very important, including lifestyle changes and blood pressure control. The person may need to maintain healthy body weight, stop smoking and drinking and do regular physical activity.

5. The Morbidity

About 171 million individuals all over the globe have diabetes. That equates to around 2.8% of the total world population. Type 2 diabetes is the most common, which affects 90% to 95% of the United States diabetes population. People develop the problem during different times of their lives. Some can get the problem during childhood, also referred to as juvenile diabetes mellitus. Others may only get the problem late in their 60s or 70s.

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Children with Diabetes – Causes, Symptoms And Management

Diabetes occurs in individuals of any age. More than 13,000 kids in the United States have type 1 diabetes. It is among the most common long term diseases in school age children. Obesity, lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits are primarily the causes of the condition among children. Type 2 diabetes is not a common occurrence among school kids. In just over 20 years, incident rates among kids and teenagers have almost tripled.

1. The Causes Among Kids

Type 1 diabetes is described by the inability of the body to produce insulin. The condition was previously known as juvenile diabetes, since it is primarily found among young kids, although the problem is presently known to happen among adults too. Genetic factors can also influence the possibility of a child getting diabetes mellitus. A person with a close relative like a sibling or parent with diabetes is more likely to get the disease. Environmental factors can also be the cause of the rise of early symptoms.

2. Symptoms of Diabetes

Children with diabetes can present a number of symptoms, such as increase in thirst, headache, behavioural problems, sudden weight loss, fatigue, complaints about abdominal pain and frequent urination. The presence of ketoacidosis can also point out diabetes among kids. It is a very serious problem wherein acids, known as ketones are discovered in the urine, because of the utilization of the body of fats, instead of the usual carbohydrates.

3. On Insulin

A lot of kids dealing with diabetes require insulin. During the initial phases of diagnosis, these kids may also require small doses of fast acting and slow acting insulin, which boost with age. The advent of insulin pumps for administration has allowed several kids to add flexibility on a day-to-day basis. The time of administration, dosage and frequency of injections all rely on the child’s age, blood glucose level and activity.

4. On Blood Sugar Levels

Balance blood sugar level to control diabetes, since low or high sugar levels can display health risks, particularly for kids who still belong in the growing phase. It is important that the child and the parent watch the blood sugar levels everyday and adjust the exercise, dosage and meals accordingly. The diabetic diet is quite similar to the food pyramid guide. However, patients need to consume less fats, especially fats that come from animals and sugars. They should also boost the intake of fruits, vegetables and fibres. Parents do not need to cook separate meals for the diabetic child, since the whole family can consume the diet. Skipping meals is not advised since you may experience dangerous effects.

5. Exercise and Drugs

Physical activity is vital aspect of diabetes, since it lowers blood glucose levels. Even though exercise is good, the sugar levels should also not go down too deep. Always consult your doctor about the exercise and diet program to suit the special needs of the child. For type 2 diabetes, there are medications that help adjust the body’s resistance to insulin. Watch your carbohydrate and fat intake very closely.

Selva Sugunendran has published a number of Books on Health Matters. If you found the above article useful, then you should visit the following website to immediately download an extensively researched EBook on Multiple Health diseases including Obesity, High Blood Pressure and Diabetes. It details the symptoms, treatments available, the interactions as well as the management and control of these diseases: http://www.SeriousHealthProblems.com