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Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that can occur at any age. Its onset is often slow and gradual, which can make it difficult for children to detect and diagnose.
In this article, we examine what is and describe its symptoms, its causes and its risk factors in children.
We are also exploring how a doctor diagnoses and treats the disease, ways to prevent it, and the complications it can cause.
What is type 2 diabetes?
In a child with type 2 diabetes, the body is resistant to insulin or can not produce enough of it.
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high blood sugar.
The pancreas produces a called hormone that helps control the amount of sugar in the blood.
In a person with type 2 diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin or it does not respond properly to the hormone. This is what we call.
In the past, the medical community referred to type 2 diabetes as either adult diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. However, this condition is affecting a growing number of children and adolescents, while rates continue to rise.
According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, American doctors diagnosed type 2 diabetes between 2011 and 2012.
Type 2 diabetes is a long-term illness that can lead to serious complications if a person does not receive treatment. For the moment, there is no cure.
sYMPTOMS
Type 2 diabetes often has a slow and gradual onset. Because of this, it can be difficult to detect in children.
The general signs and symptoms of both types of diabetes are similar. Children and adults may experience:
- Increased urination When there is an excess of blood sugar, the kidneys must work harder to absorb and filter it. This can lead to an increase in urination.
- Increased thirst. Increased urination can cause. A person may be particularly thirsty and need to drink more than usual.
- Tired. When the body is less able to properly use blood sugar, this can cause, as well as many problems that may be common in people with diabetes, such as dehydration.
- Blurred vision. A high blood sugar level can draw liquids into the lenses of the eyes and make focusing more difficult.
- Darkened skin. Insulin resistance can darken certain areas of the skin. The medical term used is acanthosis nigricans and often affects the armpits and nape of the neck.
- The wounds heal slowly. High blood sugar can prolong the healing time of wounds and skin infections.
Causes and risk factors
Obesity causes resistance to insulin, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Everyone can develop type 2 diabetes, including children. The condition is more likely to develop in adults and overweight or obese children.
Obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by causing insulin resistance. This occurs when organs and tissues do not respond properly to insulin and do not absorb enough blood sugar.
Insulin resistance High blood glucose, lower glucose tolerance and overproduction of glucose in the liver.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity affected children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 between 2015 and 2016 in the United States.
Authors of an article dating from 2017 found that children and adults under the age of 25 who were in the body mass index ranges for obesity were four times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who were in the normal range.
Other risk factors for type 2 diabetes in children include:
- have a parent or brother with the disease because it has a genetic component
- Be of Asian, Pacific Island, African, Native American or Latin American descent
- showing signs of insulin resistance, such as acanthosis nigricans
Diagnostic
To diagnose type 2 diabetes, the doctor will ask about the child's symptoms and may take a blood sample to check the glucose level. The doctor can also use a simple urine test to detect the presence of sugar in the urine.
In the United States, possible blood tests:
- Fasting blood glucose. Doctors pass this test in the morning when the child has an empty stomach. The medical community considers that a person whose fasting blood sugar is greater than 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dl) has diabetes.
- Glycated hemoglobin (A1C). This checks the amount of glucose attached to red blood cells over time. Doctors consider a person with diabetes if their A1C level is above 6.5%, or 48 millimoles per mole.
- Random blood sugar. A doctor asks for this test at a random time of the day. The medical community considers a person with diabetes if their random blood glucose is greater than 200 mg / dl.
For a reliable diagnosis, a health professional must perform these tests on two different occasions.
To confirm a diagnosis, a doctor may also ask for more tests or check other factors, such as glucose tolerance.
Treatment
Treatment of type 2 diabetes is generally similar in children and adults.
The most important treatments are often lifestyle interventions, which include weight management, dietary changes, and exercise.
A doctor may also prescribe insulin or other medications that help the body to better respond to insulin. The child may also need to regularly monitor his blood sugar.
The doctor will adapt the treatment plan according to the age, needs and severity of the illness.
It is important for parents and caregivers to communicate the treatment plan to their caregivers, teachers, coaches and others who supervise the child away from home.
Prevention
Exercising for at least 60 minutes each day will help children maintain a healthy weight.
The prevention of type 2 diabetes primarily involves the development of healthy lifestyle habits, such as:
Maintain a healthy weight
Ensuring that weight stays at a healthy level can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. A doctor or dietician can advise you on healthy weight ranges for children and recommend weight loss programs, if necessary.
Eat a well balanced diet
A child's diet should contain limited amounts of added and simple sugars. Breads and pastries made from white flour can be problematic, and the diet should contain plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains. This will reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Exercise
Exercise is essential to maintaining a healthy weight and overall health. They recommend that children 5 to 17 years of age do at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity each day. Encourage kids to play outside and play sports, and limit time spent in front of a screen. This can mean reducing video games, television and other similar devices.
Complications
Children with type 2 diabetes are at risk for potentially serious complications.
Other complications and associated conditions may include:
- high blood levels
- ocular lesions, which the medical community calls
- nerve injury, or
- kidney injury or failure or diabetic nephropathy
Perspective
Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common in children, while childhood obesity rates continue to climb.
The disease can be difficult to detect and diagnose in the child, and doctors are not yet sure of the long-term effects of its onset at a young age.
Focusing on healthy lifestyles involving, for example, a balanced diet and abundant physical activity can help prevent and treat type 2 diabetes in children.
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