Kinds of Diabetes in Children
Diabetes is growing at an alarming pace all over the world but what is more shocking is that this disease in no longer affecting the adults but also the children. There is a growing concern about the children. Another alarming fact is that children can be affected with two kinds or diabetes. Diabetes is a state where by your immune system destroys the insulin producing cells and which in turn makes our blood sugar levels high leading to diabetes.
Diabetes in children is of two kinds:
- Immune diabetes: This is a form of diabetes where the immune system destructs the insulin producing cells in the child and the child losses weight instead of being obese. The child has the urge to drink water again and again and urinates frequently. Also, there is presence of ketones in his blood. This form of diabetes could be due to hereditary factors also.
- Insulin resistant diabetes: This form of diabetes is caused due to a lack of insulin in a child and high blood sugar levels make the child obese in this type of diabetes. Sugar is present in the urine of the child and ketones are absent. The child has no urge to drink water or drinks less water but still urinates quite frequently. This kind of diabetes is passed on from generation to generation in the family and the family has a medical history of such diabetic patients. In this type of diabetes there are skinny patches on the skin of the child and are visible fingers and toes.
Although there is not much one can do to cure both these kinds of diabetes, yet research is on, in order to make these children lead a near normal lifestyle.
Emotional Impact Of Being Diagnosed With Diabetes
There is complete shock, disbelief and a kind of denial. “Why me?” is the question which reigns foremost in the persons who have just realized that they are suffering from diabetes. More than the actual ailment, they are often under shock, denial, anger at being diagnosed. Many people go into mild depression while others suffer from anxiety after being diagnosed. One must realize that being affected by diabetes will not hinder your lifestyle completely. It will only require some modifications to be made to your eating and living habits. Taking charge of the situation will surely help to control the ailment and lead to acceptance. A healthy lifestyle and adequate exercise will not only help to keep the diabetes in check but also lead to better emotional control of the same. Other emotional disturbances occur out of frustration when the patient has to learn to monitor his blood sugar levels, administer insulin injections, maintain his body weight amongst a host of other adjustments. Juvenile diabetes, (diabetes which manifests itself in children) is often cause of a lot of emotional turmoil not only for the patient himself but also for the parents who are often tense about the health of their beloved child. The first step to be followed after being diagnosed with diabetes is acceptance. This will win half the battle. The other half needs to be faced with sheer grit and determination and taking complete charge of your life and diet to ensure that you do not let this disease overpower you.
What Is Cerebral Diabetes?
Cerebral diabetes is not a classification of diabetes; it is a chemical activity type occurring in our brain due to diabetes. Several medical studies till date have found links between increased blood sugar levels and mental ailments. The term cerebral diabetes unofficially describes chemical changes in the brain of diabetics leading to mental disorders. Use of the term cerebral diabetes is more frequent in research papers compared to the medical procedures. The term according to the people involved in medical studies of diabetes and related health problems indicates fluctuation in glucose levels in human brain leading to mental health disorders like schizophrenia. According to R.J. Holden, the famous medical researcher, fluctuation of glucose levels in our brain has direct links with onset of suicidal thoughts and schizophrenia. Medical theories suggest that a person develops schizophrenia and suicidal thoughts due to instability in production of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. These two brain chemicals are also responsible for mediating glucose metabolism in our brain. As a result, fluctuation of cerebral diabetes i.e. fluctuation of blood sugar level in our brain can trigger mental disorders in diabetics. Overconsumption of carbohydrates is the most common cause of cerebral diabetes or blood sugar fluctuations occurring in our brain. However, one must not consider the symptoms of mental illnesses as resultants of too much eating of carbohydrates; limiting carbohydrate intake will help in lowering blood sugar levels, but will not work as a remedy for mental illnesses. The term cerebral diabetes is itself not a disorder; it merely describes a state of our brain resulting from fluctuation of blood glucose levels. So, you cannot also expect to get rid of it only by use of insulin or diabetes medication. This state of the brain leading to mental disorders must be managed with conventional treatment of mental illnesses.
Alternative Treatment for Pre-diabetes
Besides housing a heavy diabetic population, the United States is also home to over 55 million pre-diabetic people. The use of some herbs can help to ensure that these pre-diabetics do not become victims of chronic diabetes; below, we have discussed about some such herbs:
- Ginseng: Several studies involving North American Ginseng have revealed that this herb might help in controlling the blood sugar levels and producing a hemoglobin type called glycosylated hemoglobin. A clinical study carried out in the UK involved participants who consumed fiber and ginseng; each of these participants experienced significant reduction in their blood glucose levels. Ginseng acts as a more potent ingredient than many medications meant for controlling blood sugar levels.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon is known for its ability of regulating blood sugar levels. Findings of several medical studies also stand as testimony to this ability of the herb. During a clinical study for finding out effects of cinnamon on blood glucose levels, 60 individuals taking part in the study were divided into 6 groups. Participants of 3 groups consumed different quantities of cinnamon every day whereas the participants of the remaining 3 groups had placebos. This continued for a around 30 days; the 3 groups having cinnamon in different dosages not only experienced significant reduction in their fasting blood glucose levels, but there was also decrease in their LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
- Aloe vera: A medical study conducted in Thailand involving 72 showed that consuming 1 tablespoon aloe vera juice every day for 6 weeks can help in reducing the blood glucose levels by as much as 43%. Out of the 72 participants of the study 39 received the above mentioned dosage of aloe vera. The remaining 33 belonging to the control group experienced an increase in their blood sugar levels by over 2% after 6 weeks.
What Are the Symptoms of Prediabetes?
Prediabetes is a medical condition seen in obese individuals, which generally take the shape of type-2 diabetes in ten years if the patient does not manage to lose 5-7% of his or her body weight. The other terms used for prediabetes include syndrome x, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Below, we have discussed about the common prediabetes symptoms:
- Dark patches on the skin: Medical experts suggest that dark patches on the skin of elbows, armpits and knees or appearance of dark ring on the neck are some of the indicators of prediabetes. The medical term used for this skin condition is acanthosis nigricans. Acanthosis nigricans acts as a key evidence of the fact that the patient has developed insulin resistance and must seek medical attention.
- Increased blood sugar levels: The other most significant prediabetes symptom is elevated levels of blood sugar. The blood sugar levels of a suspected prediabetes patient can be checked using 2 methods. First, the patient’s blood glucose level is checked when he is an empty stomach in the morning; this is done for obtaining the fasting blood sugar levels. If the patient has prediabetes, the blood sugar levels will be more than the normal levels, but not high enough for qualifying as diabetes. People who has fasting blood glucose levels between 100 and 125 is said to be suffering from prediabetes. The other method used for checking blood glucose levels is glycated hemoglobin testing; during this test the average blood glucose levels of an individual for a period of 2 to 3 months is measured; elevated results indicate occurrence of prediabetes.
- Decreased glucose tolerance: Oral glucose tolerance tests are performed for measuring the blood glucose levels after staying in an empty stomach for a minimum of 8 hours; the test is again repeated 2 hours after consuming sugary liquid offered by the laboratory. When the results reveal that you have blood glucose levels higher than the normal levels, but not yet high enough for being considered as a diabetic, you will be categorized as a prediabetic.
Side Effects of Acarbose
Acarbose is used to lower blood sugar levels of the patients. This is mostly prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes. This drug slows the process of digestion of carbohydrates from food and helps to lower the blood sugar level after meals. This medicine should be prescribed when bloSide effects of acarboseod sugar cannot be controlled by exercise, weight loss measures and diet. This drug can be used alone or with the combination of other diabetes medicines. Acarbose belongs to a group of diabetes drugs named alpha glucosidase inhibiters. This medicine can interact with a number of medicines and might cause certain side effects. Side effects of Acarbose are minor in most of the cases and can be easily treated. Serious side effects of Acarbose are rare in occurrence but severe in nature. College students studying how to become a nutritionist learn the side effects with using this powerful medication. These serious side effects need immediate medical attention. Common side effects of the drug include diarrhea, abdominal pain and gas. Undigested carbohydrate within the intestines is the main cause of these side effects. Patients might experience symptoms of high blood sugar like increased in hunger, thirst and urination after using the drug. Blurred vision, fatigue, shortness of breath and nausea or vomiting might be noted in some patients. In some cases symptoms of low blood sugar might be seen after using Acarbose. Sweating, shakiness, dizziness and cold sweats are noted as the side effect of this medicine. Some times change in behavior, loss of coordination and irritability are found in patients which need immediate medical attention. Difficulty in speaking, confusion, seizures might be seen in some patients. Signs of skin problems might be experience by some patients. These skin problems are skin rashes, excessive itching, and hives. Skin allergies and reactions are the serious side effects. Unexplained swelling might be seen might seen after using this medicine. Dehydration is also known as major side effect of Acarbose.
Effects of Untreated Gestational Diabetes on the Baby
Gestational diabetes is a medical condition marked by high levels of blood sugar during the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy. According to current global statistics, 3 to 8 pregnant women out of every 1000 develop this condition. Untreated gestational diabetes can harm both you and your baby severely; in this article we have discussed how gestational diabetes may harm the newborn if not treated at the right time.
- Macrosomia: Gestational diabetes reduces the production of insulin in the body of the expecting mother. As a result of this, the blood glucose levels in her body rise. This increase in the blood glucose levels also affects the growing fetus in the mother’s womb. The body of the unborn baby responds to this increase of glucose levels through storage of extra fat. This ends up increasing the body weight of the baby. As a result of this, often women with untreated gestational diabetes give birth to babies, who are larger than normal during birth. Macrosomia or elevated birth weight can be the cause of several complications like difficult delivery, risk of developing obesity and diabetes later in the life etc.
- Hypoglycemia: A woman who has elevated blood sugar levels during pregnancy often gives birth to a baby suffering from hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. This occurs because the baby gets deprived of continuous sugar supply that he used to get during his stay in the mother’s womb. Generally the hypoglycemic condition in a baby tends to me most severe when the baby is just a few days old. Proper treatment can control the condition easily.
- Other complications: As the newborn of a woman with gestational diabetes tent to be overweight, his chances of experiencing trauma or incurring an injury during birth increases significantly. Gestational diabetes also increases the chances of stillbirth.
Insulin response to foods
As I wade through the copious posts, blogs, web hits etc I started to wonder if the insulin response to food was as important or perhaps more important than the carbohydrate count. For instance the studies show the large insulin spike with dairy products. So am I better off eating nuts with few grams of carbohydrate and a likely small increase in insulin or a dairy product like cheese that may spike my insulin levels pretty high? While I am on this topic, is there a comprehensive and reliable list of foods and their respective insulin triggering tendencies? It seems very hard to find foods that are optimal. Sad. Get a blood glucose monitor and use it. Studies can only tell you about other peoples’ insulin responses, and who knows if that’s of use to you or not? You can get a Relion Micro monitor at Wal-Mart for $9.00 that comes with 10 test strips, and additional test strips are 50 for $20.00. Walgreen’s has their own brand also, and I’ve seen the True2Go ones several places for about the same price. No prescription is required. The Relion Micro uses a very tiny blood sample, and mine came with lancets, a log book, and a little carrying case. If you are concerned about your insulin response, this is the best, fastest, and most accurate way to get that information. I wish they were that cheap over here! Mine cost nearly $41 and came with a pot of 25 strips, and 25 lancets, a user guide, software (it’s a USB model, which you can stick in a USB port and download info to the special software provided on the stick – except I’ve never been successful in getting it to download – and it’s SUPPOSED to be Mac-compatible!) Extra strips are 50, and the lancets are $16 per 200 (they’re rainbow-colored, too, so you can use a different color for each day if you want…). You’ve reminded me that I’ve been meaning to test my BG before and after eating dairy (particularly cream, obviously, as it’s the most carby) but I’m too much of a damned wimp! Cream is really the only significant source of carbs I eat. Everything else is pretty much carb free (apart from the occasional 1oz serving of nuts). I did calculate that my average daily carb intake is around 15g – WAY below the level needed for ketosis, but I’ve NEVER got there… (angry smiley needed!) My intention was to do so immediately before, immediately after, 30 minutes after and 1 hour after, but the thought of stabbing myself 4 times doesn’t fill me with great delight…I listened to a podcast with Matt Lalonde (crossfit) and he talks about this a bit. As I suspected, it does a the least require more investigation. One has to at least wonder if the insulin index of some foods like milk being so high implies that carbohydrates may not be the only issue and perhaps specific foods (and amounts). I had not heard of the “insulin index” until you mentioned it, so I googled it. The above article seemed the most pertinent to the discussion, but I don’t understand your concern with it, unless you suspect you have some metabolic damage. Because to my knowledge there are no home tests for insulin levels in the blood, and because insulin response varies considerably between individuals based on differences in metabolism, I don’t see the practical value of worrying about it. Am I missing something? Also, Wikipedia has a fun little chart comparing the glucose score, insulin score, and satiety score of different foods. Completely useless for me, as my metabolism is not normal, and no amount of white bread is satiating for me, but interesting, nonetheless. I was especially amused by the note at the bottom about the jellybeans, and the fact that there were no satiety scores for potato chips or Mars Bars. Yeah, I can’t stop eating them, either. I will check that out thanks. I don’t have a “concern” in as much a curiosity. I am just trying to get up to speed with all this and there is such a wealth of information out there. My thought again was that the broad vilification is due in large part to the insulin spike and the body’s response (store fat, pancreatic issues, insulin resistance etc) may not be to carbohydrates and or may not be an issue at all and carbohydrates are getting a bad rap. Think about this for a moment: – if protein really did produce the same IR as carbohydrate, then why is it nigh on impossible to gain weight on a high-protein diet…? There’s a simple answer to this: – protein’s IR causes a production of glycogen (I’m NOT going to explain this very well as I had very little sleep last night – AGAIN!)) which is beneficial in the production of muscle tissue. It DOES NOT cause the same kind of IR as carbs.Which doesn’t counter the efficacy of low carbing for weight loss and moderate carb intake for overall health. There are some for whom the trade-offs of prolonged VLC are worth it for other health reasons (e.g. epilepsy), but, and this is just my opinion, long term severe carb restriction is not without it’s health drawbacks. Insulin serves far more functions in our bodies than simply glucose transport.