Pediatric Diabetes
What exactly is diabetes? Well, the main sugar in the blood is glucose. When we eat, the body turns our food, among other things, into glucose. Glucose energy drives the functions of the body. In fact, it’s the major source of our energy.
When the glucose level rises, a trigger gets sent out to the pancreas to produce and release insulin. The release of insulin clears the way to allow glucose into the cells of the body—spreading energy where it’s needed.
However, when a child is diabetic, insulin doesn’t get produced or is insufficiently secreted. The sugar in the blood then sits there, causing the child to suffer with diabetes symptoms.
Two of the most common disorders in pediatric endocrinology are Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes:
- Type 1 Diabetes:This is caused by the immune system of the child attacking and destroying the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. It can’t be prevented or cured but can be treated.The insulin must be given via shots or an insulin pump.
- Type 2 Diabetes: Here, the pancreas produces insulin but not enough to survive. Insulin must be provided with shots or a pump. It can be prevented by exercise, a good diet and maintaining a healthy weight.
Type 2 diabetes used to be considered an adult disease, but over the years, more and more children have been suffering from it.
Child with Diabetes Symptoms
Some type 1 and type 2 diabetes symptoms are:
- Frequent urination- That’s the body flushing out excess glucose
- Being thirsty- Frequent urination cause the child to be excessively thirsty
- Weight loss for no reason- A result of muscle and stored fat being used to provide fuel to the body cells
- Feeling tired- The lack of energy because the glucose isn’t properly routed to the cells
Treatment includes healthy food choices, exercise, insulin injections and medication as prescribed by the doctor.
Metabolic Disorders
Metabolism is the process of the body turning food into energy. Enzymes produced by the body actually break down the food to substances the body uses for energy.
However, a genetic malfunction can cause an enzyme to not produce or produce too little to break the food down causing metabolic disorders.
Symptoms of pediatric metabolic disorders can include birth defects, seizures, abnormal growth, stunted growth, developmental delays and other symptoms.
Inherited Metabolic Disorders
Also called inborn errors of metabolism, inherited metabolic disorders in children include:
- Many forms of cancer
- Diabetes Mellitus- Otherwise known as Diabetes
- Anemia
- PKU disorder- Enzyme deficiency
About 1000 known inborn errors of metabolism have identified to date. Also, recent statistics from a diverse population in the UK suggests the prevalence of inherited metabolic disorders is at 1 in 784 live births.
