Tag: Diabetics

When Diabetes Attacks Kids

Contrary to popular belief the only older people suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, more and more kids are now are diagnosed with this illness all over the world. The type of diabetes that kids are prone with is the type 1 diabetes. Also known as juvenile diabetes, this type is diagnosed in almost 40 children everyday in the United States of America alone.

Type 1 diabetes can be considered as the rarest type compared to other diabetes types such as type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes but now, more and more peopleespecially the younger ones suffer from it. Type 1 diabetes usually occurs persons body is stopped form producing enough insulin, which is a type of hormone that every human needs. In order to survive, peopleespecially kidswith this type of diabetes should have insulin injected in their bodies every single day in order to continue living.

With the help of modern technology, kids with type 1 diabetes can live a normal life because they have better options in terms of blood glucose testing and insulin administration which are just some of the common processes that diabetics undergo. To help kids cope up with their condition, more and more medical facilities now offer treatments that can help the child live an active, healthy, and a life filled with fun excitement just like other regular kids.

Dealing with diabetes in children

Parenting a child is enough challenge for a parent once he or she has decided to form a family. But when a child is diagnosed with a chronic illness such as diabetes, parenting and raising this child become more difficult, challenging and at times, frustrating. To help parents deal with their children when diabetes attacks them at such an early age, experts say that they should:

1. encourage and help the child to develop healthy eating habits. Once a child is diagnosed with diabetes, it makes his or her world smaller. There will be more restrictions especially in eating. These restrictions can lead to eating problems that will be harder to manage once they get older. So as early as now, parents must instill among their kids the importance of eating healthy and well-balanced food to avoid further diabetes complications. Parents must also make sure that the child follows the regular schedule in taking in snacks and eating meals. But if the child doesnt want to eat a certain type of food youre offering, dont force him or her. Instead, give the child a variety of healthy foods that he or she can choose from.

2. ensure to test blood glucose levels regularly. The ideal frequency of blood glucose testing is at least four times per day. If possible, the parents should monitor this themselves to ensure that if the child is coping up with the condition or not.

3. instill in the child the importance of regular exercise. To avoid being obese that can lead to more complications among kids with diabetes, parents must make exercise a part of the childs daily living. This exercise should not be so rigorous, it can be a simple walk, jog, or even helping out with household chores as long as theres enough movement for the day.

4. reassure the child of your love and support. There are kids with diabetes who think that having the chronic illness is their fault. Many of them also think that they have that condition because they did something bad or they are not just good enough for their parents. To erase these doubts in the childs mind, parents must always ensure their child that they will support him or her no matter and they will love the child no matter what.

Medications And Treatments For Diabetes

What is sad about people who are suffering from diabetes is that many of them remain undiagnosed mainly because of lack of knowledge on the disease and lack of resources to even visit a doctor and know their real condition. In fact, more often than not, diabetics or the people who are suffering from diabetes only know about their condition once their bodies exhibit signs and symptoms that can no longer be ignored. These include extreme blurring of vision, excruciating pains especially in the legs, and cuts or sores that takes time to heal and worse, wounds that dont heal at all and needs to cut to avoid other affected cells from spreading to other parts of the body.

Treatment and medical options

Since diabetes is a chronic disease, people who are suffering from it should be more vigilant about their health more than ever. It means that they should visit their doctors more often, maintain a healthy lifestyle and take the necessary medications or undergo needed treatments for them to stay healthy.

Before taking in any medication or undergoing a specific treatment, it is a must that person knows what type of diabetes he or she is suffering from. Basically, there are three types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes wherein the persons body doesnt have the capability to produce insulin, which is crucial for sugar to turn the food into energy; the type 2 diabetesthe most common typerestricts the persons pancreas to produce enough supply insulin for the body to use well; and the gestational diabetes which occurs among pregnant women and can lead to type 2 diabetes eventually if not monitored immediately.

Experts say that people with diabetes should aim for healthy diet and getting regular exercise to control the illness. At times, there will be the need to take in some medications or undergo treatments. The following are just some of the common medications advised for people with diabetes:

1. Insulin shots. Since insufficient insulin levels in the body cause diabetes, insulin itself can solve the problem. For diabetics, insulin is very important because it lowers the blood sugar in the body by moving the sugar from the persons blood into the cells. Insulin should be taken at least two times daily to ensure that there will be stable blood sugar control. It should be taken at least 30 minutes before each meal or should be taken before one eats especially if she or he takes a fast effecting type.

2. Oral medications. People with type 1 diabetes are not advised to use oral medications since insulin shots are injected in their bodies 24/7 in order to survive. Oral medications work best to people with type 2 diabetesespecially those who have high blood sugarbecause these can serve as a supplement for them. The most common oral medications include sulfonylureas which forces the pancreas to produce more insulin to lower the blood sugar levels; siguanides which helps achieve lower blood sugar by stopping the liver in producing too much sugar; metformin which helps the person lose weight which is the common cause of diabetes; thiazolidinediones which helps the cells develop higher sensitivity to insulin which moves the glucose from the blood; and meglitinides which is responsible for helping the pancreas produce more insulin immediately after each meal to effectively lower blood sugar levels.

Dealing With Diabetes Among Pregnant Women

Carrying a life inside the womb for nine months is probably the most wonderful experience any woman could ever have. In this stage called pregnancy, it is very important for an expectant mother to pay attention to good nutrition because this is very vital for her and her babys health. Pregnancy for regular women is complicated as it is, how much more for women who are suffering from a chronic illness such as diabetes?

During the course of the pregnancy, the mother and the baby need all the energy and nutrients they can get. Pregnancy is indeed not the time to lose weight or go on a diet because having a nutritionally sound diet can increase the chances for the baby to have a normal birth weight, proper brain development, and reduce the risk of certain birth defects. All these and more should be of topmost consideration for pregnant women who have diabetes.

What you need to know

Diabetes has three types, the type 1 diabetes which is the least common type but predominantly diagnosed among kids and teens, the type diabetes which is the most common to all ages and the gestational diabetes which are common for women once they get pregnant. It can be said that among these three types of diabetes, gestational diabetes is the easiest to deal with because it usually ends once the woman gives birth. However, this is not always the case because there are also those that continue to suffer from the disease that can lead to type 2 diabetes if not monitored and given proper medical attention immediately.

Although almost pregnant women are expected to suffer from gestational diabetes at one point during their pregnancy, there are also those who suffer from it even before they conceive. In this scenario, dealing with diabetes can be harder and much more complicated. But now, with the help of modern technology and advances in the field of medical research, pregnancy for women who are diabetics is fairly easier and lesser risk when it comes to the overall health of the baby and the mother as well.

First things first

For women who are diagnosed with diabetes, getting pregnant should be an utmost decision to make. This is because it will greatly determine not just the babys health but the womans overall health condition as well. For women who are planning to get pregnant despite suffering from diabetes, the major consideration to ponder on is the readiness of the womans body. This is very important to ensure that the woman can meet all the challenges and difficulties that goes with pregnancy.

To know if the womans body is ready for pregnancy despite diabetes, she should undergo a thorough physical examination administered by a licensed physician. This is very important because the physician can tell if the body is ready for the demands of pregnancy and labor and the possible complications that might occur along the way.

Experts say that pregnant women who have diabetes will most likely develop related complications such as diabetic retinopathy, hypertension, kidney disease, autonomic neuropathy or nerve damage to the internal organs, and cardiovascular diseases.

What you can do

With proper daily management, many women were able to have successful deliveries. The following are just some of the things that helped them along the way:

– frequent self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG);

– administering insulin injections and identifying how to adjust the doses depending on results of their SMBG;

– controlling and treatment of hypoglycemia;

– maintaining an appropriate level of regular exercise or physical activities; and an

– appropriate meal plan specially designed for women who have diabetes.

Complications Of Diabetes

Just like in any other illnesses, the first thing that people need is to be informed and educated about the disease that may be prone to. In case of diabetes, extensive knowledge about this can help people who are already suffering from it to cope up and manage and can also help those who dont have it yet to be more careful and to avoid the illness.

But, aside from having extensive knowledge on the disease such as its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, it also pays to know if there would be related complications. This is to prepare ones selfemotionally, physically, and emotionallyabout the possibilities of coping not just with diabetes but other complications related to it as well.

There are certain factors that affect people to be prone to diabetes such as age, heredity and ethnicity. But regardless of the risk factors, the related complications would just be the same. The following are just some of the complications of diabetes that people who are prone to it must pay attention to:

1. HEART DISEASE AND STROKE. Experts say that people who have diabetes have greater risks to having coronary heart diseases and to stroke compared to those who dont have them. In fact, these complications are the lead causes of death among diabetics all over the world. People suffering from diabetes are prone to heart diseases and stroke because the fatty deposits brought by drastic changes in the body can block the arteries and leads to heart attack. Because of lesser amount of insulin in the body compared to regular people, diabetics have higher incidence of blood clotting and can also lead to high blood pressure or hypertension.

2. DIABETIC KIDNEY DISEASE. Among people with diabetes, kidney failure is the most common complication because the blood-filtering units of the kidneys are being damaged. Once the kidney has been damaged, important proteins are being along with urine and eventually, the kidneys wont be able to remove the waste products present in the blood anymore. The good thing is, not all diabetics experience End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESRD) which can be life threatening. To avoid this complication, you must stop smoking cigarettes and always keep the blood pressure under control at all times.

3. DIABETIC EYE DISEASE. This refers to the group of eye problems that diabeticspeople with diabetesmay have as a result of the chronic disease. In worst cases, this set of eye related problems such as diabetic retinopathy, damaged vessels of the eyes retina, cataract, cloudiness in the lens of the eyes, glaucoma, and increased fluid pressure inside the eye that is damaging to optic nerve. All of these, when not treated immediately and now monitored properly can lead to total loss of vision loss or blindness.

4. DIABETIC NEUROPATHY. Those people who are into smoking, drinking, and those who have poor control with glucose are more prone to developing neuropathy compared to those diabetics who are not into these vices and bad habits.

5. GASTROPARESIS. This disorder involves the stomach as a result of prolonged emptying. Studies show that around 20 to 30 percent of diabetics suffering from type 1 diabetes are more prone to this diabetes complication because it severely damages the vagus nerve which is responsible for keeping the food moving through persons the digestive tract. Although it is also diagnosed among those who have type 2 diabetes the cases are comparatively lower.