Juvenile Onset Diabetes

Jerome J. Skurka, M.D.

Pediatrician at Dreyer Medical Clinic - Oswego

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that inhibits the body’s ability to convert digested food into energy. The main source of energy in the body is the simple sugar glucose. Insulin, a pancreatic hormone, is needed for the glucose to enter body cells. A deficiency of insulin constitutes diabetes. Type I diabetes involves an insufficient amount of insulin and normally affects juveniles. Type II diabetes, which involves an inability to utilize the insulin, normally affects adults.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of children diagnosed with juvenile onset diabetes (Type I). Studies show that 1.7 of every 1,000 children are diagnosed with the disorder every year.

There are two main causes of juvenile diabetes. The first revolves around the pancreas and autoimmune disease. The immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, destroying them. The result is a pancreas that produces little or no insulin.

The second reason is genetic. As with many other diseases and disorders, some people are more likely to develop diabetes than others.

Juvenile diabetes can be diagnosed as early as 2 months of age to the teenage years. The way that Type I diabetes is handled varies from person to person, and from age group to age group. For obvious reasons, treatment of a two-month-old would be dependent solely on a parent, but a fifteen-year-old could administer his or her own insulin shot on a regular basis.

Some of the warning signs of diabetes that should be looked for in children are:

• Unusual thirst
• Frequent urination
• Extreme hunger
• Weakness due to lack of cell energy
• Sudden weight loss
• Tiredness and fatigue due to high blood sugar levels and energy not being absorbed
• Blurred vision
• Frequent infection
• Slow healing cuts and bruises

Persons with Type I or insulin-dependent diabetes require exogenous insulin, which is insulin from an outside source. This insulin is administered to the body through insulin shots, which directly increase the amount of glucose assimilated in the body. The insulin can be injected with a syringe or a pen-like device that uses cartridges of insulin. Injections can be administered in the upper arm, abdomen, thigh, or buttocks. Often considered the most painful, the abdominal injection is the quickest way for the insulin to reach the blood stream.

In addition to giving injections, a new method for giving insulin involves using a pump to give insulin 24 hours a day on a continuous basis. This new method is the best one for controlling diabetes, but is not ideal for every patient due to the complexities. It should be remembered that insulin is a treatment, not a cure. It should be used at the appropriate times and in proper dosages.

Juvenile diabetes can be extremely difficult to cope with during the teen years. Socially, teens don’t want to be “different,” and can become difficult. Often, diabetic teens rebel. They want to be independent and do as they please. This can be very dangerous when it comes to getting the proper medication needed to sustain a relatively healthy life. These teens must learn to respect the seriousness of their disease.

Some methods of care and prevention that parents can use include:

• Intensive education
• Following the children on a regular basis
• Blood sugar stabilizing
• Monthly visits to a diabetic clinic

To date, there is no cure for diabetes, but numerous diabetic foundations are doing extensive research. With good control in the early stages of diabetes, complications can be delayed or prevented in later years. In order to stay as healthy as possible, it is important to teach children good habits that they can maintain as they grow.