Juvenile diabetes
Juvenile diabetes is sometimes called Type 1 diabetes and it is a different type of diabetes than adult onset diabetes or Type 2. This occurs when the pancreas fails to produce insulin causing the glucose levels in the blood to be too high. When there is an elevated level of glucose in the blood, over time it can lead to serious problems. There are some symptoms of juvenile diabetes that can indicate that you should be tested.
Type 1 diabetes or juvenile diabetes is characterized by extreme thirst, frequent urination, frequent hunger or fatigue, weight loss without diet or known reason, slow healing sores, dry skin, tingling feet or losing feeling in the feet and blurry eyesight. Many of these symptoms may go unnoticed on their own, but if you are experiencing a number of them, you should be tested for diabetes.
Juvenile diabetes is different from Type 2 diabetes in that the pancreas does not produce insulin at all and in Type 2 the cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. A patient who is diagnosed with juvenile diabetes will have to take insulin for the rest of their life. Patients who have Type 2 may be able to control the condition with diet and exercise.
The damage that can occur to the body if diabetes is left untreated can be devastating. Blindness, heart attack, stroke, foot ulcers, digestive problems, kidney failure are some of the complications that are the result of untreated diabetes. Juvenile diabetes is not linked to a known cause as is the case with Type 2. It appears to run in families, but it is not the result of lifestyle choices like in Type 2 diabetes.
Along with regular insulin injections, the patient with juvenile diabetes must also monitor their diet and check their blood glucose levels frequently. Exercise is also an important part of the diabetes treatment that you will receive.
Learning as much as possible about nutrition and the way that it affects your condition is also an important part of your treatment. Often you will be given a specific and very strict diet that must be followed after a diagnosis of juvenile diabetes. Once you begin monitoring your blood glucose levels, you will see the affect that food has on your results. This will help you to understand why it is important to follow the diet completely.
Ask your doctor about your prognosis and what you can expect from your treatment. Often, diabetes can be very successfully managed. You will have to use care in a number of areas and pay careful attention to your weight and food for the rest of your life. However, it will become routine to you and you will eventually just follow your diet plan without too much trouble. In the beginning it can be difficult for an adult to make such a dramatic change in diet and lifestyle, but it is actually a very healthy lifestyle to follow for everyone.
Children who are diagnosed with juvenile diabetes will be monitored by their parents in the beginning, but over time, children learn how to test their blood glucose levels and even give themselves their insulin injections without trouble. Learning healthy eating habits from a young age will help the child with juvenile diabetes continue their healthy diet into adulthood and for the rest of their life. The child with diabetes should be educated on their condition and what it means for their care and lifestyle. With proper care and monitoring, a diagnosis of juvenile diabetes is very treatable. If you are experiencing the symptoms of diabetes, let your doctor know so that you can be diagnosed and begin your treatment immediately.
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