children s health issues
Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in Children and Adolescents
Types of Diabetes
The types of diabetes in children are similar to those in adults. The types include Prediabetes Type 1 diabetes Type 2 diabetes Prediabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are too high to be considered normal but not high enough to be considered diabetes. Among children, prediabetes is more common among obese adolescents. It is temporary in over half of adolescents, but the remainder develop diabetes, especially those who continue to gain weight. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas produces little to noinsulin. Type 1 diabetes is the most common type among children, causing about two thirds of all cases of diabetes. It is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases. By age 18, 1 in 350 children has developed type 1 diabetes. The number of affected children has recently been increasing, particularly in children under age 5. Type 1 diabetes can develop at any time during childhood, even during infancy, but it usually begins between ages 4 years and 6 years or between ages 10 years and 14 years. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enoughinsulinbecause the immune system attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that makeinsulin(islet cells). Such an attack may be triggered by environmental factors in people who have inherited certain genes that make them susceptible to developing diabetes. These genes are more common among certain ethnic groups (such as Scandinavians and Sardinians). Close relatives of a person with type 1 diabetes are at increased risk of developing diabetes. Brothers and sisters have about a 4 to 8% risk, and identical twins have a much greater 30 to 50% risk. The risk of diabetes for a child who has a parent with type 1 diabetes is about 10% if the father is affected and is about 4% if the mother is affected. Children who have type 1 diabetes are at higher risk of some other disorders in which the body's immune system attacks itself ( Autoimmune Disorders ), particularly certain types of Type 2 diabetes occurs because the cells in the body do not respond adequately toinsulin(calledinsulinresistance). Unlike in type 1 diabetes, the pancreas can still makeinsulinbut cannot make enoughinsulinto overcomeinsulinresistance. This deficiency is often referred to as arelativeinsulindeficiency as opposed to theabsolutedeficiency seen in type 1 diabetes. Among children, type 2 diabetes occurs mainly in adolescents but is becoming increasingly common among overweight or obese younger children. Up until the 1990s, more than 95% of children who developed diabetes had type 1 diabetes, but now, mainly because of the increase in the number of children who are overweight or obese, about one third of children newly diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes typically develops after Sexual Maturation (Puberty) has begun. Although many children develop type 2 diabetes between 10 years and 14 years of age, the highest rate occurs during late adolescence, between 15 years and 19 years of age (see Type 2 diabetes is almost always associated with obesity and an inactive lifestyle. The increase in childhood type 2 diabetes has been particularly prominent among people who are Native American, Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and Pacific Islander. Other children at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes include those who Are overweight (weigh more than 85% of children of similar age, sex, and height), particularly those who are obese (weigh more than 95% of children of similar age, sex, and height) Have a parent, sibling, aunt, uncle, or grandparent who has type 2 diabetes (60 to 90%) Have High Blood Pressure , Have a mother who had diabetes while pregnant ( Gestational diabetes ) or who has a history of diabetes Are not physically active 