Did you know?, Diabetes is now attacking Children. Recognize the Characteristics!

So far we have always thought. Diabetes only attacks people over 40 years of age. It turns out that now even this disease can be experienced by people under the age of 40. They are Young people. Like what the Internal Medicine Specialist dr. Annisa Maloveny, Sp.PD. 

He said, “People only know diabetes after being diagnosed by a doctor. Though diabetes is a regenerative disease, the result of the accumulation of a young lifestyle. So that we can be sure, diabetes is not a disease that appears suddenly ".
 

Then dr. In Eka Hospital's Live IG discussion, Annisa continued, "Maybe she was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 40, but actually at the age of 30 she already had cell damage in the body, which we call insulin resistance,"
 

Insulin resistance is a condition when the body is unable to process incoming blood sugar, then uncontrolled or uncontrolled accumulation of sugar occurs in the blood. This fact is also confirmed by research that found, when a person is diagnosed with diabetes, 5 to 10 years before insulin resistance has occurred in the body. 

Not only that, long before someone had diabetes, according to dr. Annisa everyone already has a history of diabetes either from parents or from a natural body. But cell damage will be increasingly influenced by the pattern of life or daily lifestyle that is carried out. Usually diabetes occurs in people who lack physical activity or sedentary lifestyle. 

"If someone eats healthy and is diligent in exercising, he will not get sick," concluded dr. Women. Not only affects adults, diabetes can also affect children and adolescents. 

 If someone eats healthy and is diligent in exercising, he will not get sick

Launching from Medicalxpress, cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are increasing among those aged 20 years and under. This is stated by a preliminary 2020 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Doctor Ana Creo, a pediatric endocrinologist from the Mayo Clinic explained that the signs and symptoms of diabetes in children and adolescents must be watched out for by parents. Because diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in children and adolescents.

"There are currently more children with type 1 diabetes than type 2, but rates of both are increasing," said Dr. Creo. 

"In general, obesity increases in children, which is one of the triggers of type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is generally associated with increased autoimmune disease in children," he added.

Children and adolescents with diabetes are at increased risk of developing health challenges throughout their lives. Therefore, being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of a disease can help get an earlier diagnosis which in turn has the chance to get a better result.

"If I choose two worrisome symptoms for diabetes, they will include frequent urination and very thirst," said Doctor Creo. 

She continued "And can lose weight because they can't store the food they eat"
 

Symptoms of Diabetes in Children

 

The symptoms of type 1 and 2 diabetes are also generally difficult to distinguish and often resemble one another. Some children with type 1 or type 2 diabetes do not show any symptoms or feel any complaints.
 

However, in some other children, diabetes can cause the following symptoms:
 

1. Frequent urination and thirst easily
 

Excess blood sugar levels will be excreted through urine. This will make the child urinate frequently or even wet the bed. With the amount of body fluids that come out, the child will quickly feel thirsty and drink more than usual. If you get symptoms like this. Start to be suspicious of the possibility of diabetes.
 

2. Increase in appetite but lose weight
 

Children who suffer from diabetes will have difficulty producing energy due to malfunctioning or reduced amounts of insulin. As a result, children will often feel hungry and eat more to get energy. Even though they eat more than usual, the weight of children with diabetes will strangely decrease.
 

Without the energy supply from sugar, muscle tissue and fat stores will shrink. Unexplained weight loss is often the first sign of diabetes in children.
 

3. Looks weak or lethargic
 

Children with diabetes may appear weaker and lethargic due to a lack of energy in the body. Children can still look lethargic even though they have eaten large amounts or portions.
 

4. Impaired vision
 

High blood sugar levels due to diabetes can over time cause the nerves in the eye to swell. This condition can make children experience visual impairments or their vision feels blurry.
 

5. Sores or infections appear in the body that are difficult to heal
 

Due to high blood sugar levels, a child who has diabetes will have sores that are difficult to heal when injured or injured. Besides inhibiting the wound healing process, diabetes can also make children vulnerable to infections.
 

6. Blackened skin color

Insulin resistance can cause darkening of the skin, especially in the armpits and neck area. This condition is called nigrican acanthosis.

In addition to some of the symptoms above, a child who has diabetes also often shows other signs, such as frequent fussiness or constant crying, fruity smelling breath, and diaper rash.

So do not think that diabetes will always infect adults. Because this disease in fact has attacked among children and adolescents. 

So don't underestimate it anymore!!.