Conditions
Diabetes (Type 1)
Around one in 300 people in the UK have type 1 diabetes and the disease usually comes on during childhood. Being diagnosed with diabetes can be worrying for kids and parents alike, because it means making changes in the way you live and sticking to a strict daily routine to manage the condition. There’s no cure for diabetes yet, but by following medical advice and having regular insulin injections, millions of diabetic children go on to lead healthy, active lives.
So what causes diabetes and what are the symptoms? Diabetes is an autoimmune disease, which means the body mistakes something completely normal for bacteria or a virus and starts attacking it. In the case of diabetes, this causes the pancreas to stop making insulin, which is vital for absorbing glucose.
The result is too much glucose in the blood. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can appear over just a few weeks. Your child will be constantly thirsty and need to wee a lot. They may feel very hungry all the time, but there will also be a noticeable loss of weight. They’ll feel tired, may be itchy round the groin and experience blurred vision. Their breath may have an unusual, sweet smell which some people compare to fruit.
If your child displays these symptoms, you need to get to a doctor as soon as possible, where they will be given a blood and urine test to confirm whether its is diabetes. If it is, your child may need to spend some time in hospital so that their blood sugar levels can be returned to normal. After that you’ll be assigned a specialist who will work out the best treatment, and teach you and your child about insulin injections, which they will need to take for the rest of their life.
This can be an anxious time for everyone and there can be a lot of new information to take in. As well as adjusting to regular injections (which most kids quickly learn to do for themselves) you and your child need to know how to monitor blood sugar and glucose levels and stick to a healthy diet. Once treatment is underway however, and if your child stays fit, healthy, eats the right food and gets regular medical check-ups, type 1 diabetes needn’t stop them from enjoying a normal, active life.
To find out more about diabetes, see Diabetes UK
Comments and Questions
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I'm 15 year's old,i'm a healthy person and had to go to the doctors oftern to sort out why i can't sleep (cause of insomnia) which is extremly effecting my life.Im late to school everyday because of it and i collapse alot. For about 2 years now i been drinking alot more recently but still feel then need of drinking more. I get through 12 letres of water every day, i urinate alot more and it's gradualy taking my life. My appitite has dissapered im not eating as much only sweet thing's. Im constently tired as well i know i have symptoms of diabetes but i don't no if i do, for two years i have begged my mum to take me to my doctors or the hosptial and she never does she skips my appointment's when im due for my check up, she just wont listen, what the hell do i do because my dad wont take me nor would my mother and im sick of it i want to get checked up if i leave it, it could become worse.
My 4 yr old daughter has been going to the toilet every 5minutes. She has just been, then says 'oh I need to go again'- she is thirsty a lot. However she hasn't lost weight, but her appetite isn't great and she loves sweet things. Can someone help? I came across this and now I'm worried that she is diabetic. My Mum has been diagnosed witrh Type 2, which isn't as bad. Thanks
ive been diabetic since december 2010 and i was wondering if im the only one who finds lantus really stingy please reply x
your not the only one!!!!! it stings loads, worst in my legs, and i have a friend who is diabetic and on lantus and she complains about the stinging to!!! i have found that it stings far less if you press it in slowly, rather than doing it as fast as you can to get it over and done with!! x
No you are not the only one, it feels the same for me.
hi im james and im 13. i had type 1 diabetes since yr 2 and i really cant remember but my mum told me that it was an uknown cause why i got diabetes and my doctor didnt see it soon then a couple of days later i had diabetes also she said that it it was caught soon i could have stopped the diabetes from developing. i was thinking that its the docs fault im suffering so bad now and im have bad control over this i just really need some advice of what i could do to have better control btw im on carb counting with a blood meter tht tellls me how muh insulin i have to take
Hi James, I have two children with Type 1 Diabetes. I am pretty sure that you can't stop Type 1 from coming, it isnt the same as type 2 which we can all mostly avoid if we lead a healthy lifestyle. It isnt your fault and you cant stop it, but you CAN manage it. It sounds like you are already trying hard to manage it by carb counting. My kids are on pumps and also carb count. Maybe check out the kids forums on diabetes uk or speak to your Diabetes nurse. Chin up buddy, remember, you have Diabetes, it doesn't have you.x
im 14 and most of my dads side of the family have diabetes type1 the doctors said it was horeditory. i am always needing a wee and am really tired i sometimes get a bit shakey and want sweets but i dont know if i should tell my mum or not because she would just panic,
i have a 19 month old daughter and i think she may have diabetes for some time now, i have taken her to the doctors about it but they didin't want to prick her finger and test her blood and gave me a very small pot to try and catch a small bit of her urine to test but it is impossible to catch anything with a girl as it just dribbles down her legs.she has a few symptoms of diabetes, she is always thirsty and wants drink after drink and it doesn't matter what it is that she's drinking, she gets quite tired a lot, she is soaking through in her nappies all the time from constantly passing urine but thats proberly from the amount of juice shes drinking but soaks through in the night a lot also.she get very sweaty when ever shes sleeping.she also gets itchy pits sometimes and scratches when shes in the bath, she also seems to get poorly quite a lot and very easily.does it seem like she has it or could it be something else? because my doctors are never very helpful.
You need to get her tested right away and even the finger prick will only hurt for a minute. It could cause her serious health problems if left untreated. if you are not satisfied with your Gp get a new one or ask for a second opinion or referral. There is a cream that can be given to numb the are before the prick test and why this has not been given or done is beyond me. Demand more from your gp
im 13 and those where alot of symptoms i had but it took over a year for me to finaly be diagnosed if your doctors wont listen to you go to your closest childrens hospital and explain hope this helps x
HI there my 2 year old son was reciently admitted into hospital with high blood sugar levels of 15.8 and 11.9 etc but after being admitted his blood suger levels returned to normal and stayed that way for the next few days, he was sent home with a blood monitor and we regularly check his blood sugar levels, and after two weeks since being home from hospital his blood sugars have been normal only being above 7 twice in that time at 7.9 and 12.8. Im a bit confused as his urine tests came back as normal but the doctors are'nt sure why his blood sugar levels were so high, i was wondering if anyone has had this before and what they think i should do. might it be diabetes. My dad and brother are both diabetic.
if you haven't already i def think you need to get a second opinion, i have had type 1 diabetes for 16yrs and i am not a dr but i do not know any other reason why you would get high blood sugar readings than diabetes. in the eary stages you can have a 'moonlight period' where you pancreas does still produce some insulin so depending on what he has eaten / drank or when you have checked his blood in relation to food / physical activiy etc i personally would feel this needs looking at asap - a non diabetic would never have a blood sugar reading as high as 12.8
This happened to my daughter, she was 7. I already had one child with Type 1 so I new what to look for. My daughter was pre-Diabetic and eventually had to go onto insulin. If you want to find out more go to Diabetes uk and google, google google for all the info you can get. Make sure you check out Type 1 nopt type 2(late onset).If you arent satisfied go back to your doctor and ask them, the tests you do will probably give them enough info. Good luck.x
i am 15 years old and i got told i had type 1 diabetes a month ago, i lost almost 2 stone in less than a month and my mouth was always dry i had to carry a bottle of water with me where ever i went and waking up to use to toliete around 5 times a night... am still getting use to injecting but why me?? :( iam not over weight i weighed 5.5 when i got admited to hospital..
type 1 diabetes is whats called an autoimmune disease so it has nothing to do with your weight, basically an illness of some kind has caused your body to attack the cells in the pancreas causing you to stop producing insulin, theres a good support group on facebook (diabetes uk) and you can ask any questions on there :) good luck
My brother has been always strong and healthy, we used to say why he is so much trouble :) one day suddenly I saw my brother almost vanish from this world, the doctor actually said one more night like this and your son would be dad. sometimes the symptoms aren't like the described… he was diagnosed diabetes type 1. He was 13. don't get mad, don't ask why you? it happens, I was born with myopia and had to wear glasses ( thick ones) since I was baby , couldn't play football, swim, etc. but life goes on , my brother is 17 now , pretty fit and strong and carries a normal life and so do I, now I wear contact lenses every day I have to take out and put again, back 10 years ago were people used to smoke every where I used to have a lot of infections in my eyes ( clubs, coffee shops etc, many years I asked myself why me , why my brother , well no answer and realised that millions of people have the same problem. be strong and be normal in your own way :))
im 13 i thought that to but type one can be caused by something as small as a cold but trust me it gets easier and ask your gp about the new touch screen blood gloucose meter its really cool and helpfull lol hope this helps x
My 7 year old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in November last year and is still very active and dances 3 times a week. We still haven't got her blood sugars under control yet but I believe that it will only affect your life if you let it and am trying to make sure that she enjoys her life and it doesn't hold her back. She also has psoriasis and am finding it hard to keep under control at the moment, this bothers her more, but I guess this is linked with her yoyo blood sugars unsettling her body. Just a note to say it only takes over your life if you let it!!!!
i am 22 year old and for weeks i been having bads heads dizzyness and feeling sick i been to my doctors and i found out my blood sugar low and i had to have bloods taken and i scared i might have it . i was told to have a chocolate bar and when i eat it i feet better . even now i eating i still have the bad heads and dizzy spells i dont know what to do i so scared
This isnt Diabetes, it does sound like hypoglycemia though. Diabetes doesn't cause hypoglycemia, insulin does. Eat regular and often but healthily. Hypoglycemia is not a nice feeling. I think you should go back to see your doctor and find out whats happening.
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