Juvenile Diabetes

By Gregory Frazier

juvenile diabetes foundation

Juvenile diabetes, also known as Type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a disorder of the body’s immune system. Juvenile diabetes is diagnosed in children, teenagers and young adults.

The exact cause of juvenile diabetes (Type 1 diabetes) is still unclear. The common belief is that juvenile diabetes is caused due to an insult to the immune system. This can be either infectious or toxic, which in turn causes the autoimmune response to alter pancreatic protein, resulting in inadequate insulin production. Let’s make one thing perfectly clear, this type of diabetes is not caused by obesity or by eating excessive sugar. Children diagnosed with diabetes will require insulin injections for survival.

The challenges of being diagnosed with juvenile diabetes can sometimes seem enormous. It can be tough to find a private place to monitor your glucose levels and inject yourself with insulin while at school, or just out and about with friends. Diet plays a very significant role in the management of juvenile diabetes, so forget the junk food at the mall or pigging out at a party. Eat smart and eat healthy, and insulin injections have to be timed with your meals. Sticking to a time schedule is very important, so forget sleeping in late, because your blood sugar levels can drop dangerously low during an extended snooze.

The use of an insulin pump to control juvenile diabetes, may be a more convenient way of administering insulin providing more freedom throughout the day. Once diagnosed, several injections of insulin will be needed a day, the diabetic pump uses a small needle inserted under the skin on the left side of the abdomen, the bloodstream absorbs a small, continuous dose of insulin throughout the day. One stick, more freedom.

It is possible, to stay on top of juvenile diabetes and still do most things a typical teenager does. Having juvenile diabetes makes you part of a team. Your doctor, dietitian, and family are all part of this team. As with any team the decisions you make affect all members of the team. Peer pressure will always play a significant role in the decisions that you make. Having diabetes requires you to be more disciplined and have more fore thought about your decisions. Always remember that you control juvenile diabetes, it does not control you.

Juvenile Diabetes Symptoms - What Are They and How to Live With Them

By Anita Ashland

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention one out of every 400-500 children has juvenile diabetes. Or, to put it another way, approximately 210,000 people under the age of 20 have juvenile diabetes. 15,000 kids are diagnosed with juvenile diabetes each year. Siblings of juvenile diabetics are, of course, at slightly higher risk of getting diabetes. If you already have a child with diabetes you are undoubtedly aware of the anxiety you have for your non-diabetic children.

I have four daughters. My 12-year-old daughter has had juvenile diabetes for seven years and I’ve worried about my four and five-year-old daughters. Of course I don’t want them to get diabetes. So I delayed their immunizations until they were six months old and they have been on a delayed schedule. I breastfed them for three years. If they were to lose weight and have constant thirst I’d be all over it and test their blood sugar.

I never worried about my 14-year-old daughter getting diabetes because she has always been healthy. In February 2007 she started having symptoms that did not seem like classic juvenile diabetes symptoms:

• Muscle pain and weakness.
• Negative reactions to foods that seemed to abate after she went on a gluten-free diet.
• Joint swelling.
• Fatigue.

She saw the doctor a few times and had blood work. Even though she has a diabetic sister no one thought to test her blood sugar and A1C. Neither did I.

The classic juvenile diabetes symptoms are:

• Excessive thirst.
• Frequent urination.
• Blurry vision.
• Weight loss.
• Extreme hunger.

 Unfortunately the symptoms don’t go away after diagnosis and treatment. Since insulin was introduced in 1921 diabetes is no longer terminal. But daily vigilance is required to keep the blood sugars in control and prevent long term complications.

My 14-year-old daughter was diagnosed only a few weeks ago. It was a very difficult adjustment for her in those initial days but yet, since then, there has been more laughter in our house than ever before. My two diabetic daughters now take walks together every day. I’ve watched them sit together and look at the Pink Panther diabetes book and nearly roll on the floor with laughter. They compare blood sugar numbers. My younger daughter will whisper her blood sugar number to me if it’s high so that my older daughter won’t hear and lecture her. They sit at the computer together and look at diabetes websites. They ordered matching glucometers.

This underscores the importance of support. If your child has a chance to spend time with other diabetic children and laugh with them, take full advantage. There are forums on the internet for parents and children. Read as much as you can. And occasionally allow yourself to indulge in a little hope that someday there will be a cure.