Sugar levels in children of different ages. Diabetes mellitus in children - symptoms and treatment, photo and video Diabetes mellitus in school-age children

Diabetes mellitus is a way of life, and not only for the patient himself, but for his entire family. This is especially clearly seen when diabetes mellitus is detected in children. It is considered one of the most common chronic diseases encountered in childhood and, even, is the cause of disability and delayed physical development. You can often find posts about him on parent forums and blogs. Therefore, every parent needs to know the symptoms and signs of diabetes in children in order to consult a doctor in time, who will prescribe the correct treatment and diet.

Features of the disease in children

In childhood, type 1 diabetes is more common, associated with insufficient insulin production and characterized by obvious and dangerous symptoms. This hormone is secreted by the pancreas according to the principle of feedback, that is, in response to an increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood. It helps this carbohydrate to enter the cells. According to Dr. Komarovsky, insulin is the key for glucose from the cell door.

If the pancreas is unable to secrete the hormone in the required amount, then the body lacks glucose, which is the main source of energy. Then, the breakdown of fats begins in the wrong way with the formation of ketone bodies (acetone). These compounds are toxic.

The revealed features of diabetes mellitus in children allow us to say that the first type of this disease manifests itself with the greatest speed and is a common cause of disability in childhood, since children have several physiological characteristics:

high speed of metabolic processes;
great physical activity;
instability of the nervous system;
the inability of an underdeveloped enzymatic system to cope with toxic ketone bodies, which leads to the rapid development of diabetic coma.

On Russian-language forums, there are mothers whose children are diagnosed with type II diabetes. But, this is a rare occurrence in the countries of the former USSR. Its main reason is long-term violation of a rational diet and obesity, as a result of which cells do not perceive insulin. This type of diabetes develops slowly in children and is more common during adolescence. In one fifth of sick children, the symptoms of type 2 diabetes are similar to those of type 1 diabetes.

How to recognize diabetes mellitus?

The first signs of this disease in children, discovered in time, is the main step that will help, if not avoid, then reduce the development of complications that are the reason for the child's disability.

Drinking a lot of fluids

Diabetes mellitus in children manifests itself primarily in the form of thirst, which is associated with the fact that water from cells passes into the blood to dilute glucose. The child can drink up to 5 liters of liquid.

Frequent urination

Polyuria is another symptom of the disease. He is one of the first to be noticed by parents, since, often, the child begins to urinate in his sleep, although this has not happened before. The reason is drinking plenty of fluids. Mothers on the forums often write that if the soiled linen dries up before washing, it will feel as if it has been starchy.

Weight loss

A sharp decrease in weight in children with diabetes mellitus is due to the fact that the body, in conditions of a lack of glucose, has to break down its own adipose and muscle tissue.

Vision problems

Dehydration of the body also affects the lens. This leads to visual impairment, manifested in the form of a veil in front of the eyes, which very young children may not notice. However, it is visual impairment to one degree or another that is not just a symptom, but a serious complication, the presence of which is one of the factors of disability.

Behavior change

An insufficient supply of glucose into the cells, which characterizes diabetes mellitus in children, leads to energy starvation. This affects the behavior of the child. He becomes lethargic, inactive.

Constant hunger or refusal to eat

Eating disorders often manifest themselves as constant hunger, because of which the child eats without interruption, it is difficult for him to follow a diet, because the body does not receive the main energy source - glucose.

In the case of the development of diabetic ketoacidosis, the appetite, on the contrary, decreases. But, this is a very dangerous symptom that requires an immediate call for an ambulance and a visit to the clinic, as it can lead to serious consequences and disability.

Severe infections

A symptom such as the development of fungal infections is more characteristic of type 2 diabetes. On parenting forums, you can often find messages from mothers concerned not only with impaired absorption of carbohydrates, but also with frequent complications of infectious diseases. It is more difficult for the body of a diabetic child who is dependent on insulin to fight even with a common ARVI.

Formation of ketone bodies

The smell of acetone coming from a child and its detection in urine is one of the most dangerous and clear signs of diabetes. On a mother's forum or blog, you can often find alarming messages in which mothers talk about the appearance of such a smell in their children. But, this is not always a manifestation of diabetes.

If only this symptom worries and, it is found once, then Dr. Komarovsky, along with other doctors, explain this by a lack of glucose, for example, after intense physical exertion. To cope with this can be simple: give the child a glucose tablet to suck.

In the case of diabetes, ketone formation can only be avoided by following a diet and getting insulin.

Other signs of diabetes in children

The clinic of the disease is complemented by high blood sugar levels and the presence of antibodies that destroy the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. Sometimes, immunoglobulins are found to the hormone itself or to the enzymes involved in the production and work of insulin.

Antibodies are a manifestation unique to type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease. They are not found in the second type, which is characterized by high blood pressure, poor blood cholesterol tests and the presence of dark spots between the fingers, in the armpits.

Diabetes factors

It is especially important to know the signs of diabetes in children if the child is at risk:

is related to insulin-dependent and, first of all, have a disability for this disease;
have a genetic predisposition identified during genome testing.

Science also suggests that there are other indirect causes of diabetes in children:

rubella, Epstein-Barr and others viruses can be a start for the disease;
hypovitaminosis D;
use of cow's milk for feeding in infancy;
introduction of complementary foods up to 5-6 months;
premature birth;
very intense physical activity;
birth weight over 4.5 kg.

How can you reduce your risk of diabetes?

If you can't argue with genetics, then the effect of many of the phenomena that trigger diabetes, parents can eliminate.

Prevention of diabetes mellitus in children, especially those at risk, includes:

correct introduction of complementary foods;
the use of adapted formulas if breastfeeding is not possible;
physical activity adequate for age will not only help to avoid obesity, but also will not overload the body;
following a balanced diet.

If there are symptoms, and even more so if they are absent, but relatives are sick or a genetic predisposition has been proven, it is necessary to visit the clinic for tests.

Laboratory research

In addition to detecting symptoms, the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in children includes a number of tests:

a blood test for glucose on an empty stomach or after a meal;
glucose tolerance test;
determination of antibodies to insulin, beta cells and enzymes;
detection of acetone in urine.

It is also necessary to undergo such an examination with a diagnosis already made, especially if the child is recognized as disabled for this disease.

Diabetes Disability

Diabetes mellitus itself is not considered a reason for getting a disabled person. But the lack of diabetic compensation and confirmed complications can lead to the issuance of disability:

damage to the eyes;
renal pathology;
disruption of the nervous system, including: mental retardation and dementia;
damage to the heart.

Until reaching the age of majority, the child is not assigned a specific group.

But, to confirm disability, it is necessary to undergo a medical and social examination once every 1-2 years. You can find out how it goes on on the official websites, as well as on the forum of mothers whose children have diabetes.

Can diabetes be overcome?

In fact, there are no ways to help a child get rid of type 1 diabetes for good. But, relieving symptoms, achieving remission and a comfortable life is real.

The treatment regimen must be selected with a doctor. Do not go to charlatans who promise complete healing, even if they are recommended by other moms on the forum. Otherwise, complications and disability cannot be avoided for life.

Traditional care for a sick child includes:

a properly selected diet low in fat and light carbohydrates;
individually selected dosage of insulin.

The child needs physical activity in any case. In type 2 diabetes, it is essential for treatment. In the first type, physical education should be dosed, and take place under the control of a glucometer.

In any case, the main thing is to remember that diabetes in children in modern conditions is not a disease, but a way of life. Parents don't need to worry. It is better to listen to Komarovsky's advice and just gradually teach your child to take care of his health on his own. Many doctors also recommend a diabetic diet for the whole family to support the child.

You do not need to be isolated in this feature of your child. You are not alone. To make sure and find support, visit the dedicated forum in dosage.

If parents from an early age teach a child to a healthy lifestyle, in the future, diabetes will not prevent him from achieving heights. The main thing is to accept the diagnosis and not give up.

Video to text:

School of Doctor Komarovsky

Live healthy

Diabetes mellitus in children: how the disease develops, recommendations for prevention and treatment

Diabetes mellitus in children is not so much a physical problem as a psychological one. Sick children are more difficult to adapt in a team, it is more difficult for them, unlike adults, to change their usual way of life.

A disease such as diabetes mellitus belongs to the group of endocrine disorders with signs of a deficiency of the thyroid hormone insulin. Pathology is accompanied by a constant increase in the amount of glucose in the blood.

The mechanism of the disease is characterized by a chronic form, provokes the appearance of anxiety symptoms characteristic of the disease and is accompanied by a failure of all types of metabolism - protein, mineral, fat, water, salt, carbohydrate.

Diabetes mellitus in children has no age restrictions and can manifest itself at the most unexpected moment. The presence of endocrine system disorders is present in infants, preschoolers and adolescents.

Childhood diabetes is the second most common chronic disease.

Just like in adult diabetics, this form of the disease in children is aggravated by additional symptoms. With the timely detection of pathology and the hasty adoption of the necessary measures to prevent the consequences of diabetes, positive results can be achieved and the suffering of the child can be significantly alleviated.

Violation of carbohydrate metabolism is the main cause of diabetes mellitus in children at any age. Scientists were able to track other factors affecting the development of the disease in children. Some of them have been studied in detail, and some of the reasons still remain under the heading of obscurity.

The essence of diabetes does not change from this and boils down to the main conclusion - problems with insulin will forever change the life of a sick child.

The first symptoms of diabetes in children: how to recognize them

It is always difficult to understand that a child is sick with diabetes mellitus at the initial stage. Symptoms are almost invisible. The rate of manifestation of the disease depends on its type - the first or the second.

In type I diabetes, symptoms progress rapidly and the baby changes during the first week. Type II diabetes is characterized by severity and symptoms are less rapid and less pronounced. Parents do not notice them, do not take the child to the doctor until complications occur. In order not to aggravate the situation, it will not be superfluous to find out how diabetes mellitus manifests itself in children.

Consider the most common symptoms of childhood diabetes:

In order for the child's body to receive an energy reserve for the correct organization of life, insulin must convert part of the glucose entering the blood. If diabetes has already begun to develop, the need for sweets may increase. This is due to the hunger of the body's cells, because in diabetes, carbohydrate metabolism is disturbed and not all glucose is converted into energy.

For this reason, the child is always drawn to sweets. The task of an adult is to distinguish a pathological process from a love of sweets.

A child with diabetes is often hungry. Even if children eat enough food, it is difficult for them to wait for the next meal.

This can lead to headaches and even trembling legs and arms. Children ask for food all the time and choose high-carbohydrate foods - flour and fried.

Decreased motor ability.

A diabetic child experiences an overwhelming feeling of fatigue and lacks energy. He gets annoyed for any reason, cries, does not even want to play his favorite games.

If you find frequent recurrence of one or more symptoms, see your doctor and have a blood glucose test.

Children are not always able to objectively assess their needs and weaknesses, so parents should be careful.

Signs of diabetes mellitus in a child: what precedes the disease

In addition to the symptoms of the first stage, the disease is further accompanied by more obvious signs

One of the most striking manifestations of diabetes. Adults need to monitor the child's fluid intake. With diabetes mellitus, children have a constant feeling of thirst. A sick baby can drink more than 3 liters of water per day, but his mucous membranes will remain dry, and the feeling of thirst will not dull.

2. Polyuria, or frequent and increased urination.

Due to the constant thirst and a large amount of fluid drunk, children suffering from diabetes go for little need more often than their healthy peers.

A large amount of urine excreted is related to the amount of fluid consumed. In one day, a child can go to the toilet about 15-20 times, at night the child can also wake up because of the desire to urinate. Parents confuse these signs with a problem associated with urinary urinary tract urination, bedwetting. Therefore, for diagnosis, the symptoms should be considered in the aggregate.

Even in spite of increased appetite and consumption of sweets, children with diabetes may experience a decrease in body weight. Although initially the weight, on the contrary, may slightly increase. This is due to physiology during insulin deficiency. Cells lack sugar to form energy, so they look for it in fats, breaking them down. So the weight is reduced.

You can also understand that a child has diabetes by this sign. Even minor abrasions and scratches heal very slowly. This is due to dysfunction of the vascular system due to a sustained increase in blood glucose levels. In this critical situation, an appeal to an endocrinologist is inevitable.

5. Dermopathy, or skin lesions.

Diabetes often causes children to suffer from skin problems. Rashes, sores, and blemishes can occur on various parts of the body. This is due to a decrease in immunity, disturbances in metabolic processes and blood vessels.

If there is no energy, the child does not have the strength to play and move. He becomes weak and anxious. Diabetic children lag behind their friends in school and are not so active in physical education classes.

After coming home from school, the child wants to sleep, looks tired, does not want to communicate with anyone.

Another characteristic sign of the onset of diabetes. The air next to the baby smells like vinegar or sour apples. This is clear evidence that the number of ketone bodies has increased in the body. It is worth immediately going to the doctor's office, otherwise the child may fall into a ketoacidotic coma.

Knowledge is your power. If you are familiar with the symptoms of diabetes mellitus in children, you can avoid the severe consequences of the pathology and alleviate children's torment.

The clinical picture of the disease differs in children of different age categories. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the differences in the development of diabetes in accordance with age-related changes.

Signs of diabetes mellitus in infants

It is not easy to detect the disease in newly born children. It is very difficult to understand whether the baby is experiencing polyuria (increased urination) or polydipsia (thirst) from his usual state of health. Pathology can be accompanied by other signs: vomiting, intoxication, dehydration and even coma.

If diabetes develops slowly, the baby weakly gains pounds, does not sleep well and does not want to eat, often cries, suffers from stool disorders. For a long time, babies can suffer from diaper rash. Skin problems begin: prickly heat, allergies, pustules. Another point that should get attention is the sticky urine. When dry, the diaper becomes hardened, and when it hits the surface, the stain adheres.

Causes of diabetes mellitus in young children

The development of diabetes occurs at an accelerated rate in children over 1 year of age. The onset of the pre-coma state will be preceded by the following symptoms:

Diabetes mellitus type I in children of this age is associated with genetic disposition and heredity.

Cases of type II diabetes mellitus in preschool children are observed more often than type 1 diabetes. This happens due to the uncontrolled use of harmful products, fast food, rapid weight gain, and inactivity.

How does diabetes mellitus manifest in schoolchildren

Detection of diabetes in school-aged children will be preceded by the following signs:

All these physical factors are combined with psychological, so-called atypical manifestations of diabetes:

Anxiety and depression;
Fatigue and weakness;
Fall in academic performance;
Reluctance to contact peers.

If you notice at least one of these signs, do not ignore the state of affairs.

At first, parents attribute diabetic symptoms to school fatigue. Mom and Dad, love your children, do not ignore their problems and worries.

The first signs of diabetes in adolescents

Adolescent diabetes is a phenomenon that occurs after 15 years of age. Symptoms of diabetes mellitus in adolescents are typical and, if untreated, worsen.

The most common symptoms of diabetes in adolescents are:

The clinical picture of adolescent diabetes is as follows: high blood glucose levels provoke thirst, which does not decrease even after drinking a lot of fluids; and frequent visits to the toilet for small needs - both during the daytime and at night.

Diabetes mellitus in adolescent girls manifests itself in menstrual irregularities. This serious disorder is fraught with infertility. When a girl develops type II diabetes, polycystic ovary disease may begin.

Diabetes mellitus of both types in adolescents goes away with symptoms of vascular disorders, blood pressure may increase, and there is an increase in blood cholesterol. Microcirculation of blood is disturbed in the legs, the teenager experiences a feeling of numbness, suffers from convulsions.

With late diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in adolescents, the clinical picture of the disease is associated with the accumulation of ketone bodies in the blood. This happens due to a significant excess of blood glucose levels and a simultaneous energy deficit.

The body strives to compensate for this deficiency by the formation of ketones.

The primary signs of ketoacidosis are abdominal pain and nausea, the secondary ones are weakness and vomiting, frequent shortness of breath, and the smell of acetone on exhalation. The progressive form of ketoacidosis is loss of consciousness and coma.

Causes of ketoacidosis in adolescents include:

In the first place among preventive measures is the organization of proper nutrition. It is necessary to maintain a water balance all the time, because in addition to insulin, an aqueous solution of bicarbonate is produced in the pancreas, a substance that stabilizes the process of penetration of glucose into the cells of the body.

Children with diabetes should make it a rule to drink a glass of clean drinking water before each meal. And this is the minimum requirement. Coffee, sugary drinks, carbonated water do not go to the account of the consumed liquid. Such drinks will only be harmful.

If your child is overweight (most often with type II diabetes), cut calories from food as much as possible. Calculate not only carbohydrates, but plant and animal fats as well. Your child needs to eat more often, but not much. Follow the nutritional guidelines with your baby. It is easier to overcome difficulties for the company.

Include vegetables in the children's diet, prepare original dishes from them. Let the child love beets, zucchini, cabbage, radishes, carrots, broccoli, onions, garlic, beans, rutabagas, fruits.

Diabetes mellitus treatment in children

The main areas of treatment for childhood diabetes include:

Self-medication of diabetes mellitus can lead to an unpredictable scenario. The influence of traditional medicine is not fully understood. Therefore, you should not experiment with your child, you do not need to seek help from traditional healers. Treatment of the disease in adults and children is different.

Many of the advertised drugs contain a large amount of hormones, when they enter the body, they can behave as they please. A large number of side effects will only aggravate the condition of the sick child and adversely affect the function of the pancreas.

If your child has been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, do not despair. The situation you and your baby are in is serious. You should not expect magic from medicines.

Diabetes mellitus in children - the main symptoms:

Metallic taste in the mouth
Weakness
Itchy skin
Nausea
Sleep disturbance
Frequent urination
The smell of acetone from the mouth
Sweating
Dry mouth
Dry skin
Fast fatiguability
Double vision
Constant hunger
Pallor of the skin
Intense thirst
Decreased vision
Weight gain
Lowered immunity
Weight loss
Feeling disgusted with food

Diabetes mellitus in children is a metabolic disorder, including carbohydrate, based on pancreatic dysfunction. This internal organ is responsible for the production of insulin, which in diabetes mellitus may be too little or complete immunity may be observed.

The incidence rate is 1 child per 500 children, and among newborns - 1 infant per 400 thousand.

The main predisposing factors affecting the development of the disease are genetic predisposition and previous severe infections. Clinicians have identified other, both pathological and physiological, sources of the disease.

Symptoms and signs of diabetes mellitus in children are nonspecific - fatigue, weight loss or increase, constant thirst and severe itching.

Only the results of laboratory studies of blood and other biological fluids can confirm the diagnosis with accuracy. Instrumental procedures and manipulations of primary diagnostics play a secondary role.

Treatment of diabetes mellitus in children includes conservative methods - taking medications. The tactics of therapy will differ slightly depending on the form of the course of the disease.

Causes of the disease

The essence of diabetes mellitus in children 5 years of age, as in any other age, is the dysfunction of the pancreas, which secretes insulin. With a disease, a disorder in the production of a hormone occurs or a complete immunity of the body develops to it. In the second case, insulin is within normal limits or slightly exceeds the permissible values.

In any case, sugar cannot be converted into glucose, as it happens under normal conditions, which is why it is concentrated in large quantities in the blood. Normal sugar levels in children under 2 years of age range from 2.78 to 4.4 mmol / l, in a child from 2 to 6 years old - 3.3–5 mmol / l, in those who have reached school age - no more than 5.5 mmol / l. l.

The main factor in the development of diabetes mellitus is a genetic predisposition. If a close relative has been diagnosed with a problem, from an early age, parents should monitor the child's regular blood donation for appropriate tests.

Other causes of diabetes in children:

pathological influence of pathogens - Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, rotavirus, enterovirus, Coxsackie virus, mumps, measles, rubella, chickenpox, herpes, whooping cough;
the course of autoimmune diseases, when the immune system destroys the pancreas, releasing aggressive antibodies that attack the organ;
the formation of malignant neoplasms;
viral liver damage;
infection of the organs of the urinary system;
injury or inflammation of the pancreas;
the presence in the history of the disease of malignant hypertension.

The causes of diabetes mellitus can also be the presence of other diseases in the child:

Itsenko-Cushing's syndrome;
diffuse toxic goiter;
acromegaly;
pheochromocytoma;
pancreatitis;
systemic lupus erythematosus;
rheumatoid arthritis;
scleroderma;
Down syndrome, Klinefelter and Wolfram syndrome;
chorea of Huntington;
Friedreich's ataxia.

Among the predisposing factors that do not have a pathological basis, there are:

obesity;
frequent overeating;
lack of physical activity;
uncontrolled intake of medications - without the appointment of the attending physician, in case of non-compliance with the daily dosage or duration of admission;
poor nutrition;
chronic stress.

Additional causes of diabetes mellitus in infants:

artificial or mixed feeding;
monotonous diet based on carbohydrates;
feeding with cow's milk;
surgical interventions.

It is important to note that not in all situations it is possible to establish the etiology. In such cases, the diagnosis is made of "idiopathic diabetes mellitus in children."

Disease classification

Depending on the primary source, pathology is:

true or primary;
symptomatic or secondary - diabetes develops as a result of endocrine or other diseases.

The primary form is characterized by the following types:

Type 1 diabetes mellitus in children. It is called insulin-dependent, since the hormone is either not produced by the pancreas at all, or is secreted in insufficient quantities.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus in children - known as insulin resistant. This is due to the fact that the concentration of insulin is within the normal range or exceeds it, but the body remains immune to it.

According to the degree of compensation for the violation of carbohydrate metabolism, the following forms of the disease are noted:

compensated - treatment makes it possible to normalize glucose indicators;
subcompensated - the content of sugar in the blood and urine, with proper therapy, is very slightly different from the norm;
decompensated is extremely dangerous, since even complex treatment cannot restore the process of carbohydrate metabolism.

Diabetes mellitus in a child has several degrees of severity:

mild - clinical signs may be completely absent, and the fasting blood glucose level does not exceed 8 mmol / l;
moderate - there is a deterioration in the general condition, the sugar concentration is less than 12 mmol / l;
severe - the likelihood of complications is high, because the glucose level exceeds 14 mmol / l;
complicated - children suffer from the consequences of diabetes that are not amenable to therapy, the sugar concentration rises to 25 mmol / l.

Diabetes mellitus in newborns is:

transient or transient - diagnosed more often, the symptoms gradually disappear by 3 months of life, and complete remission occurs at 1 year, but the likelihood of relapse at an older age is not excluded;
persistent or permanent - children need lifelong insulin therapy.

How diabetes occurs

Symptoms of diabetes mellitus in children

The signs of diabetes mellitus in children depend on the course of the disease. The disease begins with the onset of the following symptoms:

fluctuations in body mass index up or down;
constant feeling of hunger;
the need to consume a large amount of liquid;
frequent emptying of the bladder, especially at night;
sleep disorder;
fatigue, lethargy;
weakness and general malaise;
itching of varying degrees of severity;
increased sweating;
decreased visual acuity.

The first signs of diabetes in a child will be observed in both insulin-dependent and insulin-resistant forms.

The clinical picture of type 1 diabetes includes the following external manifestations:

an increase in the amount of fluid consumed per day;
increased urge to urinate;
dry mouth;
decreased physical activity;
fluctuations in temperature and blood pressure;
rapid physical fatigue;
metallic taste in the mouth;
duality of the picture before the eyes;
increased fragility of bones;
decreased immunity - children are often exposed to colds, inflammatory and fungal diseases;
long-term healing of even the smallest wounds or abrasions;
persistent itching of the skin, most clearly localized in the groin and anus;
increase in body weight;
attacks of nausea and vomiting;
severe diaper rash in the genital area;
the smell of soaked apples from the mouth;
decreased appetite or complete aversion to food.

Symptoms of diabetes mellitus in a child with type 2 disease:

dryness, pallor and flaking of the skin;
intense constant thirst;
the release of a large amount of sweat;
increased appetite;
increased fatigue and weakness;
decrease in body weight;
the smell of acetone from the mouth;
frequent urge to empty the bladder;
decreased resistance of the immune system;
the appearance of "goose bumps" before the eyes;
migraines and abdominal pain;
frequent mood swings;
itching of the skin;
alternation of insomnia and drowsiness;
laxity of the muscle layer.

It is extremely dangerous if diabetes mellitus is noted in a baby, since a newborn cannot verbally express complaints. Parents should pay attention to their child's behavior, urinary frequency and the amount of fluid they drink.

Diabetes symptoms

Diagnostics

The signs of diabetes mellitus in children are nonspecific, but quite pronounced, therefore, an experienced pediatric endocrinologist or pediatrician does not have any problems in establishing the correct diagnosis.

The disease requires the implementation of a whole range of diagnostic measures. The clinician must personally:

to get acquainted with the medical history of both the child and his close relatives - to search for the etiological factor;
collect and analyze a life history - for the possible identification of physiological sources of the disease;
conduct a thorough physical examination;
measure temperature and blood tone indicators;
to interview parents in detail about the first time of onset of diabetes symptoms in children 3 years old (or older) and the intensity of their severity.

Laboratory research:

general clinical blood test;
hormonal tests;
immunological tests;
blood biochemistry;
general analysis of urine.

Instrumental diagnostics of diabetes mellitus in children is aimed at finding possible complications and is represented by the following procedures:

ultrasonography of the liver and kidneys;
rheoencephalography;
duplex scanning of the vessels of the lower extremities;
rheovasography;
ophthalmometry;
EEG of the brain;
CT and MRI.

Children's diabetes mellitus must be differentiated from the following pathologies:

acetone syndrome;
diabetes insipidus;
diabetes of a nephrogenic nature.

Diabetes mellitus treatment in children

Therapy is limited to the use of conservative methods, which are based on oral medication and adherence to the rules of a sparing diet.

Drug therapy:

lifelong insulin replacement therapy using an insulin pump - the main treatment for type 1 diabetes in children;
hypoglycemic agents - sulfonylureas, biguanides, meglitinides, thiazolidinediones and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are indicated for insulin-resistant form.

The presence of symptoms of diabetes mellitus in children can be eliminated with the help of diet therapy:

complete rejection of refined carbohydrates;
frequent food consumption, but always in small portions;
daily calculation of the consumption of bread units, cereals, liquid dairy products, vegetables, fruits and berries;
exclusion from the menu of any sweets and organic fats.

Nutrition for diabetes

Regular physical activity is considered one of the effective methods of treatment. Children are recommended to go in for sports three times a week, and the workout should last at least 1 hour.

Possible complications

The most common complications of diabetes mellitus in children:

early atherosclerosis;
stroke;
lactic acidosis;
cardiac ischemia;
ulcerative lesion of the lower extremities;
hyperglycemic or hypoglycemic coma;
diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, polyneuropathy, encephalopathy, angiopathy, foot;
chronic renal failure;
decrease;
growth retardation.

Prevention and prognosis

To date, no specifically targeted prevention of diabetes mellitus in children has been developed. To reduce the risks of a problem, parents should monitor the child's compliance with such simple preventive rules:

active lifestyle;
proper and nutritious nutrition;
taking medications strictly according to the prescription of the attending physician;
keeping body weight within normal limits;
constant strengthening of the immune system;
early detection and full elimination of pathologies that lead to the appearance of symptomatic diabetes in a child 5 years of age and older;
regular examination by a pediatrician - will make it possible to identify the symptoms of diabetes mellitus in children in the initial stages and start therapy as early as possible.

Diabetes mellitus in children has a favorable prognosis, but only on condition that complex therapy is started in a timely manner and that preventive recommendations are conscientiously followed.

Diabetes mellitus in children Komarovsky

If you think that you have Diabetes mellitus in children and the symptoms characteristic of this disease, then an endocrinologist can help you.

Diabetes mellitus is a very insidious and dangerous disease. According to statistics, about a quarter of people with such a diagnosis are not even aware of its existence, they calmly lead their usual way of life, while the disease gradually destroys their body. Symptoms that are not expressed in the early stages are the reason that diabetes is called the "silent killer".

For a long time it was believed that the disease is transmitted exclusively by hereditary means, however, it was found that not the disease itself is inherited, but a predisposition to it. In addition, babies who have weakened immunity, metabolic disorders and frequent cases of viral diseases are at risk.

There are two types of diabetes. In children, in most cases, the first type is diagnosed - insulin-dependent. The second type is much less common in childhood, but doctors note that recently it has become much younger and is sometimes diagnosed in children over the age of 10. Diabetes mellitus is very dangerous for the body, especially if no action is taken. It is extremely important for parents to know the main symptoms of this disease in order to be able to recognize the "alarm bells" in time.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes mellitus in children

The incidence of type 1 diabetes is attributable to only a third of the hereditary factor. So, if the mother suffers from the disease, then the probability of getting sick in the baby is about 3%, if the father is about 5%. In childhood, the disease progresses very quickly, under certain circumstances, from the first symptoms to the development of ketoacidosis (a serious condition associated with the active breakdown of adipose tissue) can take only a few weeks.

Doctor's note: the basis of the first type of disease is a lack of insulin in the body, so for treatment it is necessary to inject it from the outside. Diabetes is not cured, but in the first time after the start of treatment, a temporary remission occurs - the disease proceeds very easily, which sometimes makes parents think that the child has recovered. But over time, the need for insulin increases - this is a typical course of the disease.

The risk of developing diabetes is highest between the ages of 5 and 11

The greatest risk of developing the disease is the age period from 5 to 11 years. The main symptoms are:

the child constantly asks for a drink, drinks large volumes of liquid per day;
urination becomes more frequent and profuse;
the child begins to lose weight, and very rapidly;
the baby becomes more irritable.

There are a number of signs accompanying the acute course of the disease. So, the listed symptoms are significantly aggravated: due to frequent urination, dehydration of the body develops, weight loss becomes more rapid, vomiting appears, the baby smells acetone everywhere, disorientation in space often takes place, breathing becomes strange - rare, very deep and noisy. It is better to avoid such a condition and seek help when the first signs of diabetes appear.

Photo gallery: the main signs of diabetes

In adolescence, experts note a smooth onset of the disease. The first stage with mild symptoms can develop up to six months, often the child's condition is associated with the presence of an infection. Children complain about:

increased fatigue, constant feeling of weakness;
decreased academic performance;
frequent;
frequent occurrence of skin diseases.

At the initial stage of the disease, a child may develop hypoglycemia, which is accompanied by pale skin, weakness, dizziness and tremors in the limbs. In rare cases, diabetes mellitus develops in a latent form, which is especially dangerous - practically no symptoms appear, the clinical picture is not clear, which does not allow us to suspect the problem in time. In such a situation, the only sign of the development of the disease may become more frequent cases of the appearance of skin diseases.

How to recognize diabetes in an infant?

In the first year of life, the disease is diagnosed very rarely, but it happens. The main diagnostic difficulty on the surface is that the baby cannot speak and cannot indicate the cause of his own discomfort. In addition, if the baby is in diapers, it will be very difficult to notice an increase in urine volume. Parents can suspect the problem on the following grounds:

the baby becomes very restless, he calms down a little only after drinking;

The amount of fluid consumed and the increase in urine volumes are a reason for parents to think.

a good appetite does not lead to weight gain, the child, on the contrary, loses weight;
in the genital area are formed that do not pass for a long time;
if urine gets on the floor, then sticky spots remain in its place;
vomiting and symptoms of dehydration.

Experts have established a disappointing dependence - the earlier the child falls ill with diabetes, the more severe the disease will be. Therefore, if parents know about the bad heredity of the baby, then they need to constantly monitor the level of sugar in the child's blood and monitor his behavior in order to help him with the slightest changes.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus: symptomatic manifestations in children

This type of disease is characterized by a slow course and in most cases is diagnosed only in adults. But to date, cases of illness in children under the age of 10 have already been registered, which emphasizes the need for parents to be informed about this type of diabetes.

Important! The consumption of sweets, contrary to popular belief, cannot lead to the development of diabetes mellitus. An addiction to sweets can lead to obesity, which in turn puts a person at risk and increases the likelihood of type 2 diabetes.

Popular misconception - excessive consumption of sweets leads to diabetes

The disease usually begins during puberty, and all affected children have at least one relative suffering from a similar disease. Only in 2 cases out of 10 in childhood, acute symptoms are observed in the form of rapid weight loss and severe thirst, in the bulk of cases only general symptomatic manifestations are observed, the child has a lot of various health problems.