Children with diabetes
can still lead a normal,
healthy and fulfilling life
As Malaysia continues to develop as a nation both socially and economically, the threat to health issues continue to rise too. It is well recognised that diabetes in Malaysia has become an increasing health problem, along with other health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases.
According to The Registry on Diabetes in Children and Adolescents, it states that there is very little data on diabetes mellitus (DM) in children and adolescents in Malaysia. However, it is estimated that about 70, 000 cases of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) are diagnosed each year and more than a quarter of these cases are from Southeast Asia.
To have a clearer understanding of diabetes in children, we reached out to Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist from Sunway Medical Centre, Dr. Teoh Wei Leng to shine some light on this matter.
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Firstly, could you share with us how diabetes affects children?
Most children who have been diagnosed with diabetes will have Type 1 Diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disorder whereby the body immune’s system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas. Therefore,people with Type 1 Diabetes will have to start using insulin right away.
Insulin is a hormone that is essential for living. It allows glucose in our body to enter our cells to fuel our bodies. However, when someone has Type 1 Diabetes, glucose level in the body starts to build up to a dangerous level because there’s no insulin to allow glucose into the cells.
At what age do children start showing signs of diabetes?
Children start to show signs of diabetes as early as infancy, called neonatal diabetes. However, neonatal diabetes is a rare form of diabetes, commonly caused by one of a number of genetic mutations. Most Type 1 Diabetes would present itself at the age of
one to five years old.What are some of the common warning signs that parents should be aware of?
The common warning signs that parents should be aware of includes:
- Children feeling thirsty.
- Notices that their child often goes to the toilet to pee, particularly at night.
- The child feels more tired than usual.Â
- The child loses weight easily or in a short period of time.
- Notice their child complains of blurred vision.Â
- May have cuts and grazes that do not heal well.
How does diabetes affect the growth and development of children?
If the child’s diabetes is well controlled, then there’s a minimal impact on their growth and development. However, in children with poor diabetes control, studies have shown that these children may experience slower growth of areas in the brain associated with mild cognitive deficits compared to normal children.
Therefore, the most important thing is to ensure that glucose levels in children are controlled so that it does not affect their growth and development.
Can diabetic children continue to enjoy sweet treats?
Children with diabetes can continue to enjoy sweet treats on special occasions but as parents, it is important to administer extra insulin for the extra sugars their child is consuming.
The child should also be educated that taking sweet treats would require extra insulin so that in the future, they would be able to self-manage their own diabetes. Ultimately, it would be ideal for the child to grow up in a normal environment despite their illness.
What are some of the emotions or feelings that children newly diagnosed with diabetes will experience? What can parents do to help their child feel better?
A child who is newly diagnosed with diabetes may experience shock, denial, sadness, fear and guilt. These feelings usually subside within time and with emotional support from their family.
Apart from that, some other common fears that may develop among children are:
- Fear of multiple insulin injections.
- A feeling of being overwhelmed, especially when it comes to reminding themself to check their blood glucose and administer insulin injections.
- The fear of being different from their peers.
- Parents’ fears include whether their child can cope with multiple injections.
- Fear may develop when blood glucose is checked by others apart from their parents such as their teachers in school.
One of the best ways of allaying some of these fears is through educating children on their condition when parents bring them to visit their healthcare professionals. At times, it may require more than one session to help children understand their condition. Apart from that, parents can also talk to other parents who share the same experience of raising a child with diabetes.
Schools are responsible for children’s safety and wellbeing. What are some of the important information that parents need to provide to the school?
Parents should discuss with the school board and come up with a diabetes management plan for their child. However, it is important to discuss these plans with your child’s doctor before sharing it with the school board.Â
The plan should include:
- Timing of blood glucose monitoring.
- Management of low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia).
- Management of blood glucose reading above a certain threshold (hyperglycaemia).
- Exercise.
- Dietary needs.
- The child’s insulin regimen and emergency contact details including contact details of their diabetes care provider.
Lastly, how can adults help children living with diabetes lead a normal and healthy life?
It is important for parents to understand that living with diabetes can be a struggle, which is why it is essential for them to give their children positive reinforcements when they make appropriate decisions related to their diabetes management. Avoid being overprotective parents. Instead continue to reinforce the idea that children with diabetes are able to do anything, just like children without diabetes. Diabetes care can be adjusted to anyÂ
Studies have shown that people with diabetes often identify feeling different as a major challenge of living with the disease. Parents should not limit the child’s activities just because they have diabetes. activities that the child chooses to participate in.
Parents teaching the importance of diabetes management should be done in a matter-of-fact manner, without dwelling on potential complications, just as teaching a young person the importance of using a seat belt while driving does not necessitate vivid descriptions of potential life-threatening injuries. We should avoid using scare tactics as it could emotionally affect the child. Finally, parents should not treat their child with diabetes differently from the rest of their children, as children with Type 1 diabetes often struggle to feel normal and being treated normally is important to them.
