- Type-1 diabetes can affect insulin inside the body
- Type-1 is not as common as type-2 diabetes
- Age can affect type-1 diabetes in children
Type-1 diabetes is a chronic condition that can affect the cells in the pancreas and your body is no longer able to make insulin. Type-1 diabetes is not as common as type-2 diabetes. It mainly affects children which makes it difficult for their body to produce insulin. Type-1 diabetes in children is also known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. There is no cure for type-1 diabetes in children but it requires constant management. Increased thirst, extreme hunger, fatigue, unintentional weight loss, frequent urination, fruity smell breath and behaviour changes are some symptoms of type-1 diabetes that you may notice in children.
Type-1 diabetes in children: How age can affect this condition?
A research conducted at the University of Exeter has found that children under the age of seven, who are diagnosed with type-1 diabetes, will have a different form of the condition compared to those diagnosed at age 13 or above.
It is important to manage type-1 diabetes to avoid complications
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The research which was published in Diabetologia - the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), is a first of its kind that studied how children who were diagnosed under 7 years old do not process insulin properly and the cells that make it are quickly destroyed. Surprisingly, those who are older at diagnosis (aged 13 or above) often continue to produce normal insulin.
The Exeter team suggested new names for the two distinct endotypes: Type 1 Diabetes Endotype 1 (T1DE1) for that diagnosed in the youngest children, and for the older at diagnosis it is Type 1 Diabetes Endotype 2 (T1DE2).
Tips to manage type-1 diabetes in children
Here are some ways to manage diabetes in children-
Type-1 diabetes in children cannot be cured. If you have a family history, you should get your child tested at an early age. Take doctor's recommendations and follow all the prescribed medications. Managing type-1 diabetes is the right way to prevent the complications linked with it.
(With inputs from ANI)
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