Posts Tagged ‘diabetes in children’

New Blood Sugar Meter Rewards Children with Diabetes for Testing Regularly

August 2, 2011 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Diabetes in Children, Diabetes Monitoring and Supplies 
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Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in children, and the incidence of juvenile diabetes is growing. According to the American Diabetes Association, about 215,000 children and youth have diabetes. Most of them are type 1 diabetics, but more children are being diagnosed with type 2. This increase in type 2 diabetes in children is being attributed to poor diet, not enough physical activity, and resulting  weight gain.

A new blood sugar meter designed for kids can actually make glucose testing fun. The Bayer Didget Meter has a five second testing time, a large easy to read screen, and a selectable post meal reminder to prompt children to test their blood sugar levels after eating.

Perhaps its best element is the feature that it adds a fun factor for children who glucose test regularly by rewarding them with free Nintendo DS games. To see a picture of and read more about the Bayer Didget Meter on diabetic live, >CLICK HERE.<

New Recommendations for Diagnosing Diabetes in Children

May 27, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes in Children, Diabetes Research and News 
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Unfortunately, the easiest way to measure long-term glucose levels to diagnose diabetes in children – the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test, may not be the most effective method.

An article in the Journal of Pediatrics comparing HbA1c screening and the fasting plasma glucose test (which must be administered after an 8 hour fast) warns that the HbA1c test is less sensitive in children than it is in adults.

“You don’t want to rely on just this test to diagnose a child with diabetes,” says pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Joyce Lee, “The HbA1c test just doesn’t perform as well in children as it does in adults.”  Lee worries that cases of diabetes in children could be missed, and advices the test be used only in conjunction with other tests to diagnose juvenile diabetes.

The HbA1c test is quite accurate in adults, but it’s believed that changing hormone levels could skew the results in boys and girls. Although more difficult to administer, the glucose tolerance test is still the “gold standard” to detect diabetes in children, says Dr. Gerald Bernstein of the Beth Israel Medical Centre’s Friedman Diabetes Institute.

To read more about the latest information on diagnosing  children with diabetes on WebMD, >CLICK HERE.<

Juvenile Diabetes: How to Talk to Your Child about a Diabetes Diagnosis

April 11, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes in Children, Insulin Injections 
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insulin injection

Photo: Sura Nualpradid

Finding out that your child needs insulin injections can be shocking and terrifying. It is easy to go into panic mode and think about all the worst case scenarios, but it is important to stay calm, especially in front of your child. Children take their cues from the adults around them, and if your child sees you panicking about his illness he will likely panic too. Acknowledge that this is scary for him, and that things are going to change, but let him know with your voice and your actions that it will be okay and that you will be there to help him every step of the way.

Stay Calm
Once you have a diabetes diagnosis for your child you will want to sit down and talk to him and help him understand what is going on. Nurses and doctors may explain certain things to him at his appointment or at the hospital, but he will likely be overwhelmed by everything that is going on and will need to have things explained again. There are a few important things to remember when having this conversation, but above all else show your child that you love and support him.
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Six Simple Tips for Parents of Children with Diabetes

April 5, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes in Children 
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boy playing

Photo credit: photostock

Juvenile diabetes can make it difficult for a child to live a “normal” life. With diabetes medication, insulin injections, diet restrictions, and all the symptoms that can accompany diabetes, it may feel like your kid’s life is ruined, but there are some simple things you can do to make his life easier.

1. Snacks: setting a no-snack rule is likely going to backfire, so encourage healthy but tasty snacks. Try low fat crackers with peanut butter, apple slices with low fat cheese, or fruit smoothies with berries and milk. Make an effort to combine grains, proteins, fruits and vegetables at every meal, and talk to your kid about the importance of controlling blood glucose levels. He should be able to make healthy food decisions when you are not there to guide him, so help him learn. Read the full article

Diabetes in Children: Adjusting to Life with Juvenile Diabetes

March 29, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes in Children 
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Photo: krisph

It’s hard enough to cope with parenting an adolescent, and if you throw juvenile diabetes into the mix it may feel impossible. Educate yourself; make a plan with your diabetes team, and keep the lines of communication open between you and your child, and you can go back to disagreeing about things like dating and borrowing the car.

Signs and Symptoms

Because of the changes your child will experience with puberty, the signs and symptoms of diabetes in children may be difficult to recognize, so regular check-ups are important. Type 1 diabetes usually shows up at 10 to 12 years of age in girls and around 12 to 14 years of age in boys, but may present earlier or later. Some of the symptoms of juvenile diabetes are: Read the full article

Adjusting to Life With Childhood Diabetes

March 14, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes in Children 
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Photo: binababy12

It’s hard enough to cope with parenting an adolescent, and if you throw juvenile diabetes into the mix it may feel impossible. Educate yourself, make a plan with your diabetes team, and keep lines of communication open between you and your child, and you can go back to disagreeing about things like dating and borrowing the car.

Signs and Symptoms

Because of the changes your child will experience with puberty, the signs and symptoms may be difficult to recognize, so regular check-ups are important. Type 1 diabetes usually shows up at 10 to 12 years of age in girls and around 12 to 14 years of age in boys, but may present earlier or later. Some of the symptoms of diabetes in children are:  Read the full article

Special Infant Formula May Reduce Risk of Diabetes Antibodies

January 25, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes in Children, It's Complicated 
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Photo credit: Cylonka

Diabetic parents may want to feed their babies special easily digested infant formula to lessen their risk of developing antibodies associated with type 1 diabetes.  Recent research has shown that particular diabetes antibodies (specialized immune system proteins that detect and attack foreign substances in the body) can be a strong predictor of the eventual onset of type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which antibodies mistakenly attack and destroy insulin producing islet cells in the pancreas.  No longer able to produce their own insulin, which is necessary to control the blood sugar that is vital to feeding the body’s cells, type 1 diabetics must rely on lifelong insulin injections.
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“Diabesity” Epidemic Leads to Double Digit Growth in Sales of Diabetes Drugs

January 24, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes and Weight Management, Diabetes Medication 
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Photo: Michelle Meikiejohn

Two converging epidemics are striking Americans across the socioeconomic spectrum. Diabetes and obesity are so closely connected that health care professionals have coined the term “diabesity” to describe the connection between the two. “I really believe that it is the obesity epidemic that has driven diabetes”, says Dr. Christopher Still, obesity expert from the Geisinger Center for Nutrition and Weight Management, “simply because of the increase in insulin resistance.”

Excess weight is linked to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the hormone insulin becomes less effective at lowering blood sugar levels. The resulting high blood sugar increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body produces little or no insulin.  In type 2 diabetes, the body still produces insulin, but can’t use it effectively. Ninety to ninety-five percent of diabetics have type 2 diabetes, and about 95% of type 2 diabetics are overweight.
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Children with Diabetes Should be Warned Not To Smoke

January 24, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes in Children 
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Photo credit: Mattox

Doctors are being urged to ask juvenile diabetes patients about their smoking habits, and to advise them to stop if they are smokers. Diabetes and smoking are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which puts diabetics who smoke at particular risk.

But many young people with diabetes report that their doctors have never asked them whether or not they are smokers. Yet about 17% of diabetics aged 15 to 19 smoke.  As 90% of smokers start before the age of 18 (the Journal of Pediatrics reports that 5.5% of children with diabetes aged 10 to 14 in one study were already smokers), the early years are an important time to stress the risk of smoking, especially for diabetes patients.
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