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Diabetes is a chronic disease that can affect people of all ages, including children. In fact, the rate of diabetes is continuously rising in young people.
Diabetes in children not only impacts their blood glucose levels but also impairs their childhood development. Let’s know more about how diabetes affects development in children in detail.
Diabetes In Children
Children are prone to getting both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. However, type 1 diabetes is more common in kids as compared to type 2 diabetes.
- Type 1 Diabetes In Children
Type 1 diabetes in children, also known as juvenile diabetes, is an autoimmune disorder in which the pancreas is unable to produce insulin. Without insulin, the blood sugar cannot reach the cells, causing high blood sugar levels.
The treatment of type 1 diabetes usually involves the lifelong use of insulin along with diet and exercise management to regulate blood sugar levels.
- Type 2 Diabetes in Children
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the insulin is not working correctly, leading to an accumulation of glucose in the bloodstream.
Type 2 diabetes is more common in older people. However, children can also develop it, especially with the rising cases of childhood obesity. Having a parent or close relative with type 2 diabetes also increases the risk of developing the disease.
Its treatment usually involves dietary changes, exercise management and weight regulation. Sometimes, children may also be prescribed medicines to manage the disease.
Impact Of Diabetes On Children And Their Development
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can affect the growth and development of the major organs of your children’s bodies and increase the risk of numerous complications. These complications can include:
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis: DKA occurs when high blood sugar levels lead to the development of ketones in the body. It is a serious health condition that needs to be treated immediately. If not treated right away, your child may even go into a diabetic coma. This complication of diabetes is more prevalent in type 1 diabetes and is rarely found in children with type 2 diabetes.
- Autoimmune Disorders: Children with type 1 diabetes are also at a higher risk of developing other autoimmune disorders such as thyroid and celiac disease.
- Cognitive Impairment: Diabetes is also closely associated with having mild cognitive deficits. It can affect a child’s learning and cause difficulty in attention, memory, processing speed and perceptual skills.
- Hypoglycemia: Diabetes may also cause the blood glucose levels to drop extremely low in the body, a condition known as hypoglycemia. Having severe or long-lasting hypoglycemia can result in seizures and serious brain injuries in children.
- Heart Diseases: Diabetes can affect the functioning of your child’s heart and increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, such as narrowed blood vessels, high blood pressure levels, heart diseases and stroke, in the later stages of their lives.
- Nerve Damage: High blood sugar levels can damage the tiny blood vessels in your child’s nerves and cause tingling, numbness or pain. Gradually, over a long period of time, it may also damage the nerves and lead to peripheral neuropathy.
- Kidney Diseases: Diabetes can injure the tiny blood vessel clusters in your child’s kidneys and impair their filtration function, thereby increasing the risk of kidney damage and other kidney diseases.
- Eye Disorders: Diabetes can also damage the blood vessels in the eye’s retina and lead to vision problems, including blindness.
- Osteoporosis: Diabetes may lower the bone mineral density of your children and put them at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis as an adult.
How Can You Manage The Impact Of Diabetes And Prevent It?
- Help your child maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Motivate them and work with them to achieve their health goals.
- Make your child aware of their dietary and exercise regulations and teach them the importance of adhering to them.
- Take your child to regular health check-ups to prevent complications before they arise.
The Bottom Line
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can affect the growth and development of children and increase their risk of developing several diabetes complications. Diabetes tends to impact almost all major organs, and if not managed properly, it can also damage them in the long run.
References
- https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes-children
- https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=type-1-diabetes-in-children-90-P01977
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/284974
- https://www.diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/2019/type-1-diabetes-may-affect
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4113115/
- https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/your-child-and-diabetes/schools/school-staff
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes-in-children/symptoms-causes/syc-20355318
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-1-diabetes-in-children/symptoms-causes/syc-20355306
- https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=90&contentid=p01960
