Treatment of Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes & its Complications if Left Untreated

Treatment for Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

In order to treat pediatric type 1 diabetes, one should track the level of insulin in the blood and have a balanced diet. In addition, exercises should be carried out on a regular basis. As the child grows, the treatment pattern should also change. Different categories of insulin are required apart from the type of meal.

Monitoring the blood sugar level of the kid is absolutely essential for the but the whole task can be quite tedious. On few days everything would be as per plan but there would be many days when the sugar level would shoot up. It is vital to have patience and perseverance.

Treatment for Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

Blood Sugar Tracking in Kids with Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

Based on the insulin therapy mode, you might have to track the sugar level in the body on a regular basis in the child with pediatric type 1 diabetes. The ideal frequency on a daily basis could be 4 however it might increase. In such cases, finger sticks are required. There are special glucose meters that help to test the sugar level in blood at home. Regular testing is the key to tracking the level on a daily basis ensuring that it does not exceed the target. In addition, the growth of the child results in a change of the level. The doctor will provide details about the exact level in the blood.

Parents should maintain a history of sugar levels in the blood under the supervision of a physician. Later on, the doctors can access the data by logging into the interface of the glucose meter.

CGM or Continuous Glucose Tracking in Children with Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

For the sufferers of pediatric type 1 diabetes, CGM plays an important role in tracking the sugar level in the blood. It is quite useful for individuals who do not know about hypoglycemia. CGM is inserted into the blood with the help of a needle and analyzes the sugar level with time. CGM is a new technology introduced to assess the glucose level however it is still to replace the conventional method of measuring sugar in the blood. In the best case, it complements the existing strategy.

Insulin and Other Medications for Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes Children

Children with pediatric type 1 diabetes may require insulin injection because orally consumed medicines may not have an effect as it is blocked by the enzymes found in the stomach. There are different categories of insulin offered to patients: Rapid acting, Short acting, Long acting, Intermediate acting insulin. Doctors may administer a combination of insulin based on the age as well as the requirements of the kid so that it could be used around the clock in the day.

Insulin Transmission Options for Children with Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

Generally, insulin is mixed into the blood stream, with the help of an injection for pediatric type 1 diabetes. It is shaped in the form of pen and is combined with the cartridge which is mixed with the required medicines.

Insulin pump would go a long way in providing required medicines to the blood. It is similar to a mobile phone as far as size is concerned and is attached externally to the body. Tube is attached to a source of insulin which is connected to the catheter for medication flow into the body via abdomen.

One of the most important tools is the wireless pump accompanied by the pods full of insulin. The medicines are automatically sent to the blood stream based on the meal timing and the level of activities of the kids with pediatric type 1 diabetes. In addition, it also takes into account the sugar reading in the body.

Healthy Eating Habits in Children with Pediatric type 1 Diabetes

A diabetic kid is not required to switch to bland diet. In fact, he or she has to consume oodles of vegetables along with whole grains. They are equipped with impeccable nutritional value but do not add extra fat to the body.

According to a dietician, kids affected by pediatric type 1 diabetes should not consume meat along with sweets which are rich in sugar content. In short, having fruits and vegetables would go a long way in delivering sterling results to the users. A kid can have sugary diet but it needs to be once in a blue moon.

Parents may not be able to find what type of diet should be given to the kids with pediatric type 1 diabetes. In such cases, they should seek the help of the dietician who can not only formulate meal plan but also establish the lifestyle objectives.

Diet with high-fat content cannot be included in the meal, or else the body might take forever to absorb which may increase the sugar level in the blood. It is better to eat healthy food so that the kids suffering from pediatric type 1 diabetes could benefit in the long run. According to experts, body faces problems in digesting oily food.

Parents cannot determine how the body of the kid with pediatric type 1 diabetes would respond to certain diet menu. With time, you will come to know about the triggers in the menu that tend to increase or decrease the sugar level in the blood. In short only trial and error is the best way to move forward.

Physical Activity in a Child with Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

Kids suffering from pediatric type 1 diabetes should focus on aerobic exercises that would help to enhance the blood circulation level. He or she can join a sports program or may attend dance classes. Doing exercises with friends would do a whirl of good to the kids. They can also learn swimming in the pool to ensure that physical activity becomes an integral part of their lives.

Physical activity plays an important role in decreasing the sugar level in the bloodstream. According to experts, the effect can linger on for half a day. Prior to starting the exercise, parents need to check the level of sugar in the kid with pediatric type 1 diabetes in order to analyze the response of the body. Increased activity might require the parent to not only modify the diet menu but also change the quantity of insulin being injected.

Complications in Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes If Left Untreated

Many complications can occur as a result of pediatric type 1 diabetes. It can affect the numerous organs of the body of the children including the hearts as well as blood vessels along with nerves. It can also impact the kidney and the vision of the eyes.

Pediatric type 1 diabetes if left untreated can result in severe complications which could result in eventual death due to an abnormal level of sugar in the blood.

  • Disease related to heart and blood vessels is a complication of pediatric type 1 diabetes. Pediatric type 1 diabetes could lead to the rise of cardiovascular issues such as chronic heart problem. It is accompanied by pain in the chest and also clogging the arteries. In addition, children may also suffer from high pressure in the blood vessels.
  • Another complication of pediatric type 1 diabetes is nerve damage. Due to a large quantity of sugar within the blood stream, the capillary walls gets destructed leading to the nerve problem in the lower limb. As a result, people may suffer from extreme numbness accompanied by incessant burning as well as pain. Damages to nerves could lead to long term problems to the kids.
  • Nephropathy also known as kidney damage is a complication of pediatric type 1 diabetes. Blood vessels responsible for filtering the blood may get destructed due to the pediatric type 1 diabetes. In some cases, the failure of the kidney occurs while in others the patients have to undergo dialysis or in worst situation kidney transplant.
  • Eye retina damage is a possible complication. Due to high blood sugar, the retina is vulnerable to damages. If left untreated, the child can become absolutely blind. Some other diseases include cataract along with glaucoma.
  • Kids with pediatric type 1 diabetes are more vulnerable to foot based diseases. When the nerves are damaged in the lower part of the limb, the kid might get affected by foot based diseases. Long term complications include blisters and huge cuts that refuse to heal.
  • A pediatric type 1 diabetes child is prone to skin infections caused by bacteria or viruses. Generally, the matters get worse due to irritation
  • High blood sugar leads to the decrease in bone density and also enhances the vulnerability of the patient towards osteoporosis.

Coping with Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

It is a nightmare for the parents when kids are affected by pediatric type 1 diabetes. Therefore, proper management and coping with patience and effort is essential to improve the quality of life of the child.

  1. Helping in Coping with Your Child’s Emotions

    Parents should take the initiative to help the child with pediatric type 1 diabetes cope with their emotional disturbances. If the sugar level in the blood is not controlled, the kid may become irritated after some time. For instance, during birthday celebrations, high blood sugar could result in the child fighting with the friends.

    A diabetic kid might think that he or she is not like the other children. Regular extraction of blood along with insulin shots plays on their emotions and might send them into depression. You should let your children meet with other pediatric type 1 diabetes kids to curb the feeling of loneliness.

  2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health While Coping With Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

    There is a possibility for a child with pediatric type 1 diabetes who has grows into a teenager turn towards substance misuse because of the emotional trauma which they go through because of the medicines and tests. Parents have to take the initiative and talk to them reassuring that everything is going to be fine and should help them in coping with their emotional issues.

    Kids and teenagers suffering from pediatric type 1 diabetes also undergo cycles of depression as well as anxiety. Therefore social worker along with psychologist form an integral part of the team that takes care of the kids.

    Teenagers face huge problems in following the dietary and insulin regime. Kids are obedient in following the rules but teenagers tend to ignore the instructions of the adults that might result in high level of sugar in the blood.

    Teens find it quite difficult to disclose the secrets to their friends about their diabetes disease. The urge to be similar to others is huge, however, in reality, the case is quite different. So they might resort to alcohol under depression resulting in health issues because teens are already suffering from pediatric type 1 diabetes. Violating the meal schedule or not consuming insulin to reduce weight could lead to lots of health problems.

    Parents should have a frank discussion with the teenager or the doctor. Only a physician could advise the teens about the harm caused by drugs as well as alcohol to the pediatric type 1 diabetes patients. If parents find that the children are depressed or not sleeping properly at night or not performing as expected in the class, it is vital to consult the doctor. Moreover, the parents might also report about sudden loss in weight or the reduced consumption of meal by the kids.

  3. Support Groups Will Help in Coping with Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

    The consulting therapist would go a long way coping with pediatric type 1 diabetes. It is vital for the kid to join a support group. In addition, parents can join the relevant groups to improve the life of the kids.

    Group support plays a very important role in managing the depression and anxiety among the kids. In addition, one can get the latest information about the treatments offered to the pediatric type 1 diabetes patients. Moreover, in group meetings, other patients discuss their own experience with pediatric type 1 diabetes. You can also find places where kids can get meals suitable for people suffering from high blood sugar level.

    One can log on to the website of relevant organizations such as Diabetes Association of US to explore activities involving the kids suffering from pediatric type 1 diabetes. Camps are organized at regular time intervals so that the kids and teenagers learn more about the disease and ways and means to manage their lifestyle.

Conclusion

Complications in diabetes can cause huge problems to the patients; however, you should not get frightened reading the adverse consequence because medical science has advanced to a great extent. Instead of panicking, you should collaborate with the doctor and try to control the sugar level of the kid to ensure a healthy life.

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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:August 22, 2022

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