Diabetes in Childhood
Managing diabetes in childhood is often more difficult and complex than managing the illness at an older age. Not only should health issues be dealt with, namely maintaining healthy blood glucose levels, but making sure a child can do all the other things children of their age can do is critical. Controlling a child’s food intake and eating pattern will be a huge benefit to any childhood affected by diabetes.
Children suffering from diabetes do not need a special diet. They should be encouraged to eat sensibly and healthy avoiding quick acting carbohydrates and saturated fats. If the entire family attempt to change their eating habits to fit around this kind of diet, it will make it much easier on the child.
Like all diabetes sufferers, children must have regular meals. Skipping meals due to a child’s lifestyle (sleeping in or staying out late) can result in 'hypos' if insulin doses remain unchanged.
If a child refuses to eat, it is important to make sure that the child is not feeling unwell. Make sure that the child gets plenty of drinks at this time, if possible, milk and fruit juices. Read more...
Diabetes Medications Basics
High blood glucose levels can lead to health problems including heart disease, kidney problems, digestive disorders, eye problems and nerve damage. Diabetes can be easily prevented by keeping the blood sugar under control. It is important to choose food wisely when a person is affected by diabetes. The condition can be controlled by managing the intake of fats and carbohydrates and by doing some exercise. If diabetes cannot be controlled by managing food then doctors prescribe medicines should be taken. When taking medicines for diabetes, there are some points that you need to be kept in mind.
Insulin is the most widely used medication for diabetes. However, it is only prescribed in severe cases where the condition cannot be controlled by food and other medicines. When the body is unable to produce insulin then insulin needs to be provided from outer sources. There are three different ways in which insulin can be provided and your doctor can help you in deciding the form in which you wish to take the insulin. You can either be given in the form of injection; it is by using an insulin pump or by using a jet injector.
Insulin keeps the blood glucose levels correct and helps in moving the glucose from the blood stream into the cells so that it can be utilized to give you energy. Insulin has very few side effects like low blood glucose levels when not injected at the right time and weight gain in some cases. Insulin is given according to a daily schedule depending on your lifestyle and the condition of the disease. Some people might need to take two or three shots of insulin to reach the target level whereas some can go with a single shot. Different types of insulin work at different rates, it depends on what the doctor thinks is the best for you and prescribes you. Read more...