Toddlers with Diabetes: Caring for the Littlest Patients

Type 1 diabetes usually occurs when the immune system, which is responsible for fighting toxins and other harmful organisms, attacks insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. The reasons behind this are not well understood but researchers believe that environmental factors (such as exposure to viruses) or genetics could be responsible for triggering this autoimmune response.

Warning Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes in Toddlers

It’s particularly important to understand that some of the signs of diabetes can be easily mistaken for normal daily-life occurrences, such as increased thirst on a warm or hot day. Therefore, if your toddler has any of the diabetes warning signs outlined below, it is vital to immediately contact your doctor, who can either diagnose or rule out diabetes.

  1. Dehydration or increased thirst

diabetes in toddlersExcess blood glucose draws fluid from cells and this causes dehydration or increased thirst. Although your child consuming more fluids could have a wide variety of natural causes, including being especially active or hot weather, it can also be a sign of diabetes or other conditions, especially if it is combined with other signs or is prolonged.

  1. Increased or frequent urination

You may notice that your child needs to use the bathroom more often or more frequently bedwetting. If your toddler is not potty-trained you may find that you have to change more diapers.

  1. Severe diaper rash

A more severe diaper rash can have several causes including a yeast infection or food allergy. However, it could also be a sign of diabetes especially if it does not respond to common treatment routines such as the use of barrier creams or more frequent diaper changes.

  1. Weight loss

Your toddler may lose appetite persistently resulting in weight loss or they may show an increased appetite and still lose weight. Loss of appetite tends to be the more common sign in toddlers.

  1. Persistent vomiting

If accompanied by weakness or drowsiness, persistent vomiting could be an early warning sign of diabetes in toddlers.

  1. Blurred vision

High amounts of glucose in the blood can draw fluids from the eye lenses, which can cause issues such as problems in focusing. For instance, if you notice that your child is unable to see properly, let your doctor know, as it is one of the most common signs of diabetes in toddlers.

  1. Unexplained fatigue or tiredness

Unexplained fatigue or tiredness without any reason may be a result of cells not getting enough blood sugar for energy.

Cuts and sores that take unusually long to heal are also common signs of diabetes.

Diagnosing diabetes in toddlers

If your doctor suspects diabetes, they may suggest tests to check your child’s blood sugar level. Some of the common tests performed on toddlers to help diagnose or rule out diabetes include:

  1. Random blood sugar test: A blood test done at any random time to determine blood glucose levels.
  2. Fasting blood sugar test: This test requires blood samples to be taken after fasting overnight.
  3. Glycated AIC (hemoglobin) blood test: This test helps determine the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin.
  4. Oral glucose tolerance test: The test is usually done when your doctor suspects type 2 diabetes.

Your doctor will explain the entire testing procedure and you can also interpret the results together.

Treating diabetes in toddlers

If your baby is diagnosed with diabetes, treatment and management can begin right away. Your healthcare provider can help you create a diabetes care team; including a dietitian, diabetes educator, and doctor. This team works closely with you to help monitor your child’s blood sugar level and maintain it within the recommended range.

Although diabetes does not have a cure, with consistent care and treatment, your toddler can go on to have a perfectly normal life. Diabetes treatment mainly depends on whether your toddler has been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes (type 1 diabetes) or type 2 diabetes. However, the treatment regimen may include:

  • Taking insulin: For toddlers with juvenile diabetes, life-long management of the condition with insulin is necessary. In some cases, indoor outdoor trampoline for toddlerstoddlers with type 2 diabetes may also require insulin. Although insulin is often administered as an injection, it can also be administered through pumps. Your doctor will guide you on how to use a pump or give injections, and when your child is old enough you and your doctor can show them how to it themselves.
  • Blood sugar monitoring: It is recommended that you check your child’s blood glucose levels regularly, at least 4 times a day to ensure they are within the recommended range.
  • Regular exercise; Ensure that your child gets at least 1 hour of physical activity each day. You can make it more interesting by getting involved and making it part of the family routine. You can do this in many different and exciting ways, For instance, you can take your family on hikes, play ball together, bounce around on an outdoor trampoline or play tag.
  • A healthy diet: Adopting a healthy diet and timing meals properly is a critical element of any diabetes treatment regimen. Your dietitian or healthcare provider will create a tailor-made meal plan for you to adhere to.
  • Medication: Toddlers with type 2 diabetes may be given medications like liraglutide (which stimulates the pancreas to make and release more insulin, especially after meals) or metformin (which helps reduce the amount of blood glucose released into the bloodstream by the liver).
  • Counting carbs: For toddlers with type 1 diabetes, your physician will explain how calories in food are counted in order to calculate your toddler’s dose accurately.

The bottom line

Diabetes typically requires lifestyle changes and consistent care that can be a challenge to explain and implement with toddlers. Despite being a life-long condition that requires keen attention and management, diabetes can be treated and support is available to help make sure patients remain healthy and productive throughout life.

If you have any questions about your child’s health or treatment plan, be sure to consult your healthcare provider.

Juvenile diabetes in toddlers

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Support groups for diabetes

support groups for diabetes
support groups for diabetes

With so many more people being diagnosed with diabetes these days more and more people are trying to figure out how to take care of themselves, how to manage their diabetes and how to cope with daily life living with an illness or disease as diabetes. More and more support groups for diabetes is popping up all over in order to help people such as you and eye cope with the daily life of having diabetes.

There are many different types of support groups all over the world such as support groups for diabetes, support groups for losing a child, support groups for cancer patients, support groups for losing a spouse and many other types of support groups alike.

Support groups are groups of the same type of people or the same type of people going through the same situation and they need to find support in each other by talking to each other, hearing how the others are coping, feeling and just being able to deal with everyday life.

Support groups for diabetes is the same as a support group for cancer, they are in the same because a person or family that has someone close to them dealing with cancer is the same as someone facing and dealing with diabetes. Diabetes is a disease or an illness that can take a massive toll on someone’s life in who they are, how they live, what they cook, medications that they take and much more in order to manage their diabetes and how they live a healthy life.

Support groups for diabetes are all around and the best way to find a support group near you is to speak to your healthcare provider or local American Diabetes Association and they will help point you in the right direction for you and your diabetes needs.

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What Causes Low Blood Sugar?

what causes low blood sugar
what causes low blood sugar

What causes low blood sugar is a question that is becoming more and more important to an ever growing number of people as the incidence of diabetes and other endocrine dysfunctions continues to rise even as other types of diseases seem to be on a bit of a downswing.

Diabetes is what causes low blood sugar most often, and can be any one of several metabolic diseases that affect the way the body metabolizes glucose, this means that for many people staying above the low blood sugar range can be a real concern. While diabetes isn’t the only culprit, it is usually to blame whenever a person suffers a bout of low blood sugar, and low blood sugar can lead to feeling weak, the inability to think clearly, and even coma and death. Usually the blood sugar should be somewhere between 60 and 100 mg/dl, though in some cases those with blood sugar abnormalities may have unknowingly functioned outside the normal range for so long that their blood sugar may be as high as 300 without their feeling it and a low blood sugar range could go as low as 30-40 mg/dl. At 30 mg/dl a normal person would at least be unable to think clearly and would probably be comatose. Once a person has learned what causes low blood sugar for them the key to overall health is keeping that blood sugar as normal as possible.
Low blood sugar hits many each and every year and more and more people are being diagnosed with diabetes and low blood sugar because we aren’t taking care of ourselves. Taking care of ourselves with proper nutrition, diet and exercise is key and essential to living a long and healthy lifestyle! If you stop and think about it, ask yourself…”Do you take care of yourself like you should?”

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Free glucose testing meter

free glucose testing meter
free glucose testing meter

Are you a diabetic and been recently laid off from your job, then lost your insurance due to the fact that you were laid off or the company had to downsize or even shut its doors thanks to the low economy? You are not alone, so many people are facing these fears and problems each and every day all over the world and when it comes to not just their bills but also their medical problems it can take a toll. More and more people are being diagnosed with diabetes, but are being faced with the choices on not knowing how they can properly manage them due to being laid off and having no insurance. There are companies out there that can help you by offering free glucose testing meters.

Diabetes is a costly medical illness because having diabetes there are many things that are involved with them such as medication and diabetic supplies and equipment that is needed in order to properly maintain and manage diabetes. There is hope though, many more companies and organizations are offering free glucose testing meters to help alleviate some of the pain and stress.

The American diabetes Association and many other organizations are taking it in their liberty to make sure that people such as those who have been laid off and lost their insurance due to the economy, health, etc. can get all of the diabetic supplies that they need when they need them. For example, by providing free glucose testing meters. The American Diabetic Association just to name one of them is a great company to go to in time of need if you are a diabetic because they take pride in making sure that diabetics get all of their supplies and equipment as they need it when they need it. The American Diabetic Association relies on monetary donations, fundraisers and donations each and every year so that they can help the thousands of diabetics out who need help. So if you or anyone you know needs a free glucose testing meter so that they can maintain and manage their diabetes why not let the American Association help them?

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Cost of diabetic supplies

Cost of diabetic supplies
Cost of diabetic supplies

The cost of diabetic supplies are on the rise but when it comes to a diabetic often times they are forced to make tough decisions between their diabetic supplies , equipment and medication or their power bill and sometimes even their groceries.

Diabetics need their supplies, equipment and medications in order to keep their diabetes maintained so when the cost of diabetic supplies are on the rise it makes it tough for diabetics.

With so many people being diagnosed with diabetes these days it is making it harder and harder for them to afford to keep their health maintained due to many various reasons such as loss of jobs, no insurance and many other reasons. The cost of diabetic supplies is definitely a burden for many because diabetes is definitely not a disease or illness that is considered cheap especially without medical insurance.

The cost of diabetic supplies can range widely because of all the different things that you need to have as just staple items when it comes to maintaining your diabetes such as blood glucose monitors, lancets, testing strips, medications and many other things like insulin.

The cost of diabetic supplies for so many may put them in tough situations such as having to choose between diabetic supplies and medications or their power bill or grocery bill. With the cost of diabetic supplies being so expensive it leaves many wondering if they will be able to keep their diabetes maintained or if they will end up facing other medical issues down the road because they can’t afford it.

There are many places and organizations that is willing to help diabetics with their cost of diabetic supplies such as the American diabetes association who thanks to monetary donations and equipment donations help thousands of diabetics each and every year with their needs.

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