Living with Diabetes

Mood swings in children

As the relative of a person who has diabetes, one of the toughest things to sort out is the constant mood swing that such patients have. Sometimes everything will be fine and dandy, but after one single sip of a low sugar beverage, everything can change and a violent rampage or a guilt trip might offset.

When the family members that have to deal with the mood swings of a diabetic patient are grown up, they might tend simply to wiggle their way out and away from the patient until he or she settles down and the climate soothes, but in the case of children, this might be a lot harder to do.

Children require their parents to tell them that they love them. If any of the parents is the diabetic patient, it will fall on the other parent to let the children know that despite all the violence and the foul language, the parent who is a patient still will love them regardless of his or her disease.

Of course, things might get too complicated if the diabetic patient is a child. Children are taught to be submissive and to respect their elders, but a diabetic child who suffers mood swings might not be as tolerant or as submissive as a healthy child.

In such case, it will depend greatly on the parents to learn how to deal with this problem as well as distinguish properly when it is a mood swing caused by the child’s condition and when it is a child’s tantrum.

In addition, the child will have to be able to manage his or her condition so that such mood swings will not present themselves or, if they do, they do so in a mild and controlled manner.

Diabetes and Children

Diabetes is a serious condition that affects many adults. However, there are many cases where children are diagnosed with diabetes in which controlling the disease is often more daunting for a parent. Besides normal capricious requests from children, it is much more difficult to deny children because in addition to a parent’s displeasure of giving their children sweets, these parents know that their children under no circumstances can have them.

In addition, a child having diabetes does not only affect his or her life but the parent’s life too. Many parents are not diabetics yet the children are. Parents need to give up a certain amount of their favorite foods in order to cope with the child’s needs. Also, it is universally recommended that diabetics eat smaller meals rather than three larger ones. Therefore, parents will also adjust to the smaller portion eating habits.  All in all, this change will actually be quite beneficial to the parent’s lifestyle as well.

The most important factor to remember with a child with diabetes is not to be afraid. Many parents and children feel sometimes embarrassed by having diabetes or giving up knowing all of the answers. Parents who are not diabetics probably have never been in this situation so when a child asks and the parent does not know, do not be afraid to ask for help from parents in similar situations, doctors, therapists or anyone else who has experience in this industry. You and your child will go through a variety of emotions dealing with diabetes but it is all normal. The more educated you and your child are on the subject by asking questions the safer your child will be by controlling his or her blood glucose level and blood pressure.

Protecting Your Diabetic Child

Every year more than 15,000 diabetics and their carers seek advice on matters of discrimination. Many of the inquiries concern the treatment of diabetic children and young people in the education system.

As always, a large part of the problem is a lack of knowledge, either on the part of parents, children or the schools and colleges they attend. Ignorance, of the issues surrounding the condition and its safe management, frequently lie at the heart of discrimination, so it’s important that healthcare professionals and educators alike are actively involved in resolving them.

With careful management, and modern medical knowledge, diabetic youngsters are able to play a full role in all aspects of school and college life – and it is important that they do so. But many children are still forced to confront issues of discrimination, whether from their fellow students or teachers, despite legislation protecting them.

Children with diabetes sometimes face problems in obtaining the care they need in schools and day care centers. Whether you are a parent or student, understand the rights of people with diabetes, and what you can do to make sure your school is offering fair treatment.

Every student with a disability has the right to a positive public education experience free from discrimination, and these rights are guaranteed in federal law. With a number of acts offering legal protection nationally, and most states having their own additional protections, every school and college receiving federal funding must employ personnel who are aware of diabetes and how it affects your child.

If your school or college does not have this provision they will have to train staff accordingly. Don’t be afraid to get involved and negotiate with school or college officials to achieve this.

Managing Diabetes in Your Child

Because young children often struggle to recognize the symptoms of their diabetes it is crucial that you, as a parent, help them to understand their condition and that you conduct frequent blood glucose checks.

But management does not end there as your child’s emotional and physical well being is particularly at risk if they are diabetic. School life has been touched upon elsewhere in this blog, so here we will concentrate on your child’s life outside of the education system.

Often the families of children with diabetes worry that they will be excluded from activities or made to feel awkward and embarrassed by their condition. However, an open attitude and frank discussion with their friends will frequently result in exactly the opposite. Indeed, research shows that peer groups will often value your child and readily accept them just the way they are, if they are honest about the disease, while a secretive attitude can lead to resentment and exclusion.

Talk with your doctor and other health professionals, they will often be able to counsel your child on managing their diabetes, and advise them on how best to cope with their feelings of being different. A healthy social life is important to your child, not just for their psychological well being but also for them to lead a physically active and rewarding life.

Remember, exercise is a vital part of managing their condition and there is no reason why your child should not participate in sports and other social activities such as hiking and camping. They will help him or her to maintain a healthy insulin balance and lower blood sugar levels.

There is absolutely no reason for diabetes to impact on your child’s potential for success in both social integration and sporting achievement. Provided with the correct knowledge and tools to participate your child will develop the self-esteem, confidence and other positive effects of a normal physical life.

Bringing Up a Diabetic Child

Discovering your child is diabetic can be a traumatic period for any family, especially if you do not have the condition yourself. You need to equip yourself promptly for the challenges and experiences of bringing up your child and, as always, knowledge is the key.

Diabetes will change family life, not just placing an extra financial burden on your household but complicating any social or psychological worries you may already have. With complete control never attainable as the disease develops, worsens and improves throughout their life the stress of bringing up your child, coupled with the every day management of your home can be a daunting task.

Never be afraid to speak openly about your concerns. Whether with health care professionals, friends or school authorities the care and health of your child is paramount. You will face any number of problems as the years pass and building up a strong and educated support network is crucial.

It is perfectly normal for you and any other children you have who are not diabetic to feel a range of emotions including sadness, guilt, anger, frustration and embarrassment, and these feelings will continue throughout your child’s development into adulthood. Nowhere are these feelings as important as in school life, when your child is away from you, often with a group of other infants with no understanding of diabetes.

Make sure your teachers and staff are fully aware of your child’s condition, it will make you much happier knowing he or she can rely on the support of other adults when they are not with you. You don’t want your child to be treated any differently from classmates, so contact the school before classes commence and communicate your wishes.

Most states have School Health Plans, designed specifically for children with existing medical conditions. Make sure your child’s school has one and go through it with a senior member of staff. School life is vital for the healthy development of any child and yours should be no different.

What is Juvenile Diabetes ?

Juvenile diabetes, also known as type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, can develop at any time of life but is most frequently diagnosed in children and teens. Type 2 diabetes, also referred as insulin-resistant diabetes, is generally not seen until later in life. There is no cure for juvenile diabetes, but there have been many advancement made over the years in the effective management of the disease. To understand why and how this type of diabetes must be managed, it is important to know why the disease occurs in the first place.

No one knows why some people have juvenile diabetes. It may have something to do with heredity, or a viral infection, but a definitive cause has not yet been found. However, doctors do know what happens in the case of juvenile diabetes, and this has led to many positive advances in the effective management of the disease. Diagnosis and treatment of this illness can be started early on to ensure no complications arise. With proper care, most people who suffer with this diabetes can go on to live long, healthy lives despite their illness.

Why Juvenile Diabetes Happens:

To understand what happens in the case of juvenile diabetes, it is important to understand the role of glucose in the body. Sugar that enters the body through the food we eat travels through the bloodstream. Insulin, which is produced by cells in the pancreas, help that sugar to leave the bloodstream and be absorbed by cells in the body that converts the sugar to energy. In the case of juvenile diabetes, the body’s own immune system will attack these cells in the pancreas, leaving them unable to produce the necessary insulin. This results in sugar building in the bloodstream instead of getting to the body cells that need it.

This is why juvenile diabetes is also referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes. As the body cannot produce the necessary insulin on its own, it has to be introduced into the body by other means. For most people with juvenile diabetes, it means either daily insulin injections or an insulin pump that can provide the required substance. It also means regular testing of the blood to confirm that the sugar levels are within the normal range. Nutritious diet choices and daily exercise are also a part of the management plan for diabetes. By affixing to this program, most people with juvenile diabetes can live healthy, normal lives.

[tags]juvenile diabetes, diabetes, diabetic[/tags]

Juvenile Diabetes: An Insight

Introduction

Juvenile Diabetes is a serious form of diabetes that manifests in the body of a person from the period of his/her childhood. It can be accounted as a metabolic condition that sticks on like a chronic disease that needs to be taken care of properly. This problem basically arises when the body is inefficient in processing the required amount of glucose. This kind of diabetes leads to a number of other health problems too. This type of diabetes is colloquially also called Type 1 diabetes. The juvenile diabetes is many times not detected during the childhood. The person suffering from Type 1 diabetes is totally dependent on insulin. The process of conversion of the food materials into energy is flawed and hence, the body needs external support for the same.

Symptoms of juvenile diabetes

The symptoms of juvenile diabetes are more prominent than the regular diabetes. A person starts experiencing the problem of excessive thirst. The thirst has to be quenched or else a lot of uneasiness is felt. The victim also encounters the problem of frequent urination as the urinary system is not efficient enough to deal with the requirements of the body. Nausea, heavy breathing and vomiting becomes a day-to-day feature. The patient also starts feeling drowsy and the chronic weakness and even fatigue sensation sets in. The vision is also blurred after sometime.

Available Treatment Options

In juvenile diabetes, the pancreas becomes ineffective and hence, is not able to produce the hormone called insulin. This problem aggravates as the body is incapable of processing or metabolizing glucose. The body becomes energy deficient. The child or the person suffering from this ailment has to be injected with insulin shots everyday. There are some oral drugs also that can be used to keep a check on juvenile diabetes. There is no fixed cure and hence it is a problem for a lifetime. A healthy diet and a regular exercise regimen can help and keep a check on this problem.