As a parent assisting a young child with diabetes, you will most likely find yourself concerned with three things during his or her treatment: insulin, exercise and food. For most types of diabetes children are likely to develop, diet and the amount of physical activity that is engaged in on a regular basis will be two of the biggest factors of their treatment. If you child was diagnosed with diabetes as a result of obesity, healthy eating and proper exercise become even more important and can really be life saving treatments for your child.

If you are having to deal with diabetes children, start at an early age to encourage the eating of lots of fruits, whole grains and vegetables, especially those like blueberries, spinach and sweet potatoes that are jam packed with a lot of unique nutrients. These will help your child stay energized and fit and will be the best for encouraging overall health and mental well being. A happy, healthy child will be ready to stay on top of his or her diabetes.

By keeping a tight control on your child’s glucose levels, with the help of diet and exercise, you can do a fantastic job of preventing a group of devastating complications that can arise from the disease, including kidney failure, neuropathy, and blindness. Becoming proficient at checking blood glucose levels is a must. When living with diabetes children are likely to have fluctuating blood sugar levels but yet are too young to check those levels themselves and take the appropriate action. Being able to check your child’s blood glucose will require that you first obtain a good meter, and learn how to use it well. Your doctor or the website of the American Diabetes Associate can assist you with choosing the right meter and teach you how to use it properly.

Mr. Gerd van Hass

http://diabeteshealthcare.net

Welcome to Diabetes health care. This website contains easy to understand information about diabetes health care and treatment options.

We’ve also included articles that can help to educate yourself about the facts and learn the lifestyle changes that must be made so that you and your loved ones can live with as little interference as possible about diabetes.

We Diabetes health care invite you to explore our website and looking forward to bring you some updates and information that we learnt and assisting you with your personal journey towards happiness, health and well being.

Any information contained in this article can only be used as a guideline to those who are concerned about their health and diabetes sufferers.

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Diabetes manifesting in the younger generation is referred to as ‘juvenile diabetes’. This is caused by the inability of the body to produce insulin. The pancreas is responsible for generating the hormone insulin, which is the hormone that burns the food we consume and breaks it down into energy. It is when the body does not know to produce sufficient insulin or if it simply cannot the insulin already present, that diabetes surfaces.

How does juvenile diabetes manifest?

Diabetes in youngsters usually appears in the form of Type 1 Diabetes. More than 90 percent of children under the age of 16 suffer from this type of diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, where the body’s cells themselves start attacking the other helpful cells, treating them like enemies. This results in the destruction of tissues and vital organs, over a period of time.

As far as juvenile diabetes is concerned, the very cells that generate insulin in the pancreas are targeted and systematically destroyed.

How often does one get to see this type of disorder?

There is nothing like a clear-cut proportion of the young population suffering from diabetes. This rate differs from country to country and sometimes among different ethnic groups as well.

* The amount recorded in Scotland is about 25 per one hundred thousand children.

* In England and Wales, the number is 17 annually.

* In Finland, a survey revealed a number of 43 per hundred thousand children, whereas Japan recorded a low number of 3.

There has been as much as three times the number of cases of childhood diabetes in the last 3 decades. While this tendency was there in the United States, Europe is now recording cases of juvenile diabetes too. This emergence could probably be attributed to obesity and bad eating habits among children and teenagers. Of course, Type 1 Diabetes is not really the result of obesity, so there remains to be a paradox in this respect.

What triggers this disorder during childhood?

The actual trigger for juvenile diabetes is not yet known. But research suggests that it might be due to the general environment and genetic make-up as well. It is often seen that children who fall victims to diabetes do not have a family history of the disorder.

How is this treated?

Fast-acting insulin is mostly given during daytime and the slow-acting variety in the night. Insulin pumps are also used nowadays.

What can I do as a parent?

* If your child suffers from diabetes, you should first understand about the disorder and work in sync with the doctor to help your child.

* Also learn to administer insulin injections and monitor blood glucose levels regularly.

* Know about diabetic acidosis and always keep glucose with you.

* Inform his school about his condition.

* Give the child a healthy balanced diet and keep a keen eye on his weight.

* Engage him in physical activity, so that he keeps fit in spite his disorder.

Diabetes in children, though more and more common today, can be handled effectively if we tackle it in time.

Gary Sanders is an expert on diabetes and a diabetes sufferer. He has dedicated the last decade of his life to mastering every aspect of diabetes including nutrition, diabetes in children, symptoms of diabetes, diagnosis, and prevention. He has created an award winning guide that is available at http://www.DiabetesSymptomsGuide.com

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The disease is still not fully understood by the medical world, and ongoing studies are being done in order to find more clues towards better treatment.

In children who do not have diabetes, insulin is produced in the pancreas and released into the blood as soon as the  glucose level starts to rise after eating.  In type 1 diabetes, there is little or none produced and insulin-injections are needed to try to keep blood sugar levels within the normal range.  In type 2 diabetes, however, insulin is produced but the process is faulty leading to insulin-resistance.

What to watch out for:

* overweight or obesity
* a very strong family history of diabetes, 45-80% have a least one parent with it
* mother had gestational diabetes (during pregnancy)
* acanthosis nigricans is a marker for insulin-resistance.  It shows up as darkened pigment and thickened velvety skin around the neck, armpits and groin
* unusual tiredness
* occurs more often in children with an ethnic background
* excessive hunger

Keeping an eye out for these symptoms as this means diagnosis and treatment can commence as swiftly as possible.  The presence of this condition exposes children to decades of damage from elevated blood sugar levels.

Type 2 can be managed successfully through:

* regular activity to help stabilize blood glucose levels
* a healthy eating plan to minimize or prevent the progression or development of health complications and to help with weight loss
* medication, including insulin-injections for some children

Whether insulin-injections are needed or not depends on how high the blood sugar levels are when this condition is diagnosed.  Insulin is often the first choice because most of the oral blood glucose lowering medications have not been tested in children.  Although metformin is prescribed for children in some countries.

In spite of all the challenges that type 2 diabetes poses, with the right treatment, a young child can still go about life with relative ease. It can be a stressful time for parents and family and this is where your Health Care Provider can be very helpful.  He can also give you information about diabetes camps that are run by various organizations; your children can have fun at camp while learning about looking after themselves.

Treatment is really a family business when a child is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.  Family members need  to be educated and learn how to give injections and check blood sugar levels.  Also to understand the importance of why a healthy eating plan together with increased physical activity is necessary to improve insulin-resistance and reduce health complications in all family members.

The first step to take in treating type 2 diabetes is to look at how you can change your eating plan. If you would like to learn some weight loss tips, click here now to download your free E-Book: Trim Down Tips

Beverleigh Piepers is a registered nurse who would like to help you understand how to live easily and happily with your Type 2 Diabetes. http://drugfreetype2diabetes.com

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Excess weight or obesity is still the significant factor in the development of type 2 diabetes in younger people. The excess weight leads to insulin resistance … the pancreas attempts to cope by producing more and more insulin. After a few years the pancreas is unable to keep up with the excess needs and the blood sugar level increases. This is when symptoms such as thirst and passing of increased amounts of urine becomes obvious.

Type 2 diabetes in adolescents is treated in the same way as in adults, so to prevent or delay the onset why not encourage your children to adopt good lifestyle patterns?

What can be done?

Why not involve the whole family, especially if all members have been overeating a little? This allows the family group to make healthy changes in their eating habits and exercise plan.

1. Talk about the importance of healthy food choices and why the diet chosen should be high in healthy plant foods, and have few high fat and processed foods. Here are ways to make it easier for your children:

* eat healthy foods yourself, set an example
* don’t buy food items that are high in sugar, eg. soft drinks, candy, crisps and cookies
* have fresh foods on hand for snacks
* increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet generally
* learn about low glycemic index foods
* chose whole grain foods such as brown rice, bulgur, barley and whole wheat pasta
* reduce fast foods as much as possible … they are high in calories, salt, sugar and fat
* serve meals in healthy portions at roughly the same time each day

2. Adopting healthy exercise practices:

* as a family, stops children feeling singled out. Encourage your children to think of fun things the family can enjoy as a group
* bike riding, hiking, basketball and skating are examples which gives children a daily dose of exercise
* martial arts, gymnastics and tennis are other options
* limiting time spent watching TV, sitting at a computer, or playing video games can also encourage children to be more physically active

3. Regular health checks:

If you have family members with type 2 diabetes, your child being overweight may bring on this condition. This is a good reason for your child to be aware of the symptoms. These might include:

* thirst and tiredness
* frequent trips to the bathroom
* blurred vision and recurring infections

On the other hand there may be no symptoms at all.

Taking your children to their health care practitioner for regular check ups can help detect type 2 diabetes, or any other disease, at an early stage. It also helps your children feel comfortable with medicos and accept medical check ups as a regular part of their lifestyle.

The most important step to take to prevent type 2 diabetes in children is to modify their diet and exercise. Your health care provider might suggest you seek the help of a registered practicing nutritionist in order to balance the nutrients and calories needed for your child’s growth and development.

If you would like to learn more about type 2 diabetes, click here to download my free E-Book: Answers to Your Questions … it’s based on questions diabetics have asked me over recent months.

Beverleigh Piepers is a registered nurse who would like to help you understand how to live easily and happily with your type 2 diabetes.
http://drugfreetype2diabetes.com

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Type 1 diabetes is related to the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin which breaks down the glucose in the blood. This usually occurs when the body’s defense mechanism attacks and kills the insulin producing cells. Insulin then needs to be administered manually via an injection on a regular basis. Type 2 diabetes is a resistance to the insulin that is produced. In this case the insulin is produced normally but the body is resistant to it and it doesn’t work effectively. It can usually be treated by a good diet, exercise and insulin supplements if required.

It has long been known that obesity, lack of exercise and poor diet play a big part in the onset of type 2 diabetes. Many researchers now believed that the increased levels of obesity in children are leading to the sudden appearance of type 2 diabetes. The causes of type 1 diabetes in children are not known, evidence suggests that there is a link between faulty genes and environmental factors. It is known however that diabetes is not hereditary and is not passed from one generation to the next.

Children who have diabetes tend to actually live longer than people who get diabetes in later life. It is speculated that this is because they get into a routine of controlling their diabetes with regular injections and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Parents of children with diabetes should look out for the signs of low glucose levels and always have access to glucose or sweets. Additional regular checkups for kidney and eye problems should be scheduled as these are the 2 areas most affected by diabetes.

The symptoms of diabetes in children are very similar to those of adults. Constant thirst, and frequent urination obviously these 2 may be linked. Also be on the lookout for tiredness and a loss of weight. Additionally children often complain of regular stomach aches and headaches. In some cases a child may suffer from diabetic acidosis which has all the symptoms above but may also include unconsciousness. In cases like this immediate hospitalization is required.

There are over 20 million people who have diabetes and about 30% of them are not aware of their diabetes? Learn more about children and diabetes and other related diabetes information at Online-Diabetes-Information.com

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When a child’s body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin Type 2 diabetes develops. Insulin is a hormone that regulates the absorption of sugar into cells. Type 2 diabetes can also occur when a child’s pancreas produces some insulin, but not enough, to maintain a normal blood sugar level.

There is no cure for type 2 diabetes in children. The best you can do is to help your child manage the disease or prevent the disease from ever occurring. Ways to manage and prevent type 2 diabetes in children include:

o Encouraging your child to eat healthy foods

o Encouraging your child to get plenty of physical activity

o Maintaining a healthy weight

When diet and exercise are not enough for the management of type 2 diabetes in children, oral medication or insulin treatment to manage the blood sugar is often prescribed.

Some children with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms. The disease develops gradually in children. Common symptoms of type 2 diabetes in children include:

o Increased thirst and frequent urination

o Extreme hunger

o Weight loss

o Fatigue

o Blurred vision

o Slow-healing sores or frequent infections

o Some children may have patches of dark, velvety skin in folds and creases of the body, usually the armpits and neck. This condition is called acanthosis nigricans and may be a sign of insulin resistance.

What are the causes of type 2 diabetes? Type 2 diabetes develops when the process of glucose entering body cells with the help of insulin works improperly. Instead of sugar entering into body cells, the sugar builds up in the bloodstream. This happens when the pancreas does not make enough insulin or body cells become resistant to the action of insulin. It is uncertain exactly why this process sometimes works improperly, although excess weight and inactivity seem to be very key factors that contribute to the body’s inappropriate processing of sugar, which can lead to type 2 diabetes in children just the same as it does in adults.

Source: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (2007)

Disclaimer: *This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always consult with your health care provider about any kind of a health problem and especially before beginning any kind of an exercise routine.

Author: Connie Limon, Trilogy Field Representative. Visit http://smalldogs2.com/NutritionHealthHub and http://www.camelotarticles.com

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Insulin dependent or Type One Diabetes shows up in childhood normally and therefore also has the name juvenile diabetes. This form is caused when the body is unable to produce insulin and all and insulin shots will be depended on in order to obtain insulin. This form lasts into adulthood, but only accounts for 5-10% of all diabetes cases.

Type Two Diabetes is also referred to as Adult Onset Diabetes. Due to this name, people may be mistaken an d think that is cannot affect children. In this type of diabetes, the panaceas stops make sufficient levels of insulin. Normally adults form this condition over time, but it has been seen in increasing numbers of children.

If one has a history of diabetes in their family, they may want to avoid other risk factors for developing Type Two Diabetes for their children. The risk factors to develop this disease in children are eating a poor diet, lack of exercise and obesity.

After educating one’s self about diabetes in children, they will be more able to understand the children of close ones that have this disease, as well as help reduce the risk for their own children developing the disease.

Signs Of Diabetes In Kids can sometimes be missed as kids have other growing pains. Knowing what the signs of juvenile diabetes are can really help your kids get treatment earlier.

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This type of diabetes is a disorder of the metabolism. The body doesn’t destroy the beta cells, but instead creates a resistance to insulin. It starts to use this insulin incorrectly. When this happens the glucose rises in the blood and causes damage to the kidneys and other vital organs.

Children with Type 2 diabetes cannot absorb glucose, and their body cannot produce enough energy. This causes the kids to start feeling tired all the time. Up until recently type 2 diabetes was generally diagnosed in adults aged over 40.

What is Causing This Epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes in Children?
The American Diabetes Association says that the increase in this type of diabetes in children is caused by the increase in obesity, and the lack of physical exercise that our children are getting. Most children that are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are between the ages of 9 and 18, some have a family history, but many are obese, and have poor glycemic levels, which is what causes the disease.

Type 2 diabetes is hard to diagnose in children, many of them have no symptoms and are diagnosed through blood tests. When this diabetes sets in you may note a few of the following symptoms:

• Extreme thirst
• Fatigue
• Increase in appetite
• Weight loss
• Headaches
• Stomach pain

As a parent you need to be on the lookout for these signs. When you see them then you need to seek treatment. Your doctor may also prescribe diabetic vitamins for your child.

Prevent the Risks
If you know that Diabetes 2 is on the rise, and you know that your children eat unhealthily and don’t get enough exercise, then isn’t the solution to get them more active and to add nutrition to their diet.

Avoid the risks, start looking for activities for the whole family and get everyone started on some kind of exercise and healthy diet routine.

Fitwise 101 specializes in health and fitness tips for everyone. If you are interested in reading more information about Type 2 Diabetes and Children come to http://www.fitwise101.com [http://www.fitwise101.com]

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Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder unlike type 1 which is an autoimmune disease. Instead of the body attacking itself and destroying the beta cells it develops a resistance to insulin and starts using it improperly. As a result glucose builds up in the blood causing eventual damage to the kidneys and other organs leading to more complications. Without the glucose being absorbed the body cannot produce energy leaving you feeling tired and exhausted all the time. Health care providers are finding more and more children with type 2 diabetes, a disease usually diagnosed in adults aged 40 years or older.

Research from the American Diabetes Association shows that the increasing rate of obesity and low physical activity may be the cause of this increase of the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among children and teens. Most of the children and teens diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are between 9 and 19 years old, have a family history if diabetes, obese,  have insulin resistance, and poor glycemic control. Type 1 diabetes prevalence of U.S. residents aged 0-19 years is 1.7 per 1000.

Because Diabetes in children can go undiagnosed for quite a while it is hard to detect its prevalence. Children can have few or no symptoms and blood tests are needed for an accurate diagnosis.It is difficult to diagnose type 2 or type 1 diabetes in children. The criteria to find the difference between the two is very complicated because children with type 2 can develop ketoacidosis as well as type 1 and type 1 diabetic children can be overweight too and the prevalence of this disease overall is still low.

Signs and symptoms of the onset of Diabetes are extreme thirst, weight loss, increased urination, tiredness, fatigue, increased appetite, headaches, and stomach pains. Look for these warning signs so that the disease can be diagnosed ahead of time and treated more effectively. To help prevent complications from this disease ask your doctor about diabetic vitamins and supplements. Also some lifestyle changes are needed such as a balanced diet and daily physical activity.

For more information about different types of diabetes, complications, signs and symptoms, treatment, diabetic aids and supplies visit Best Diet for Diabetes

If you are looking for a guide to a well balanced diet and meal plan check out The Fat Loss Guru

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Some facts about children and diabetes highlight the importance of understanding this disease and finding ways to manage and control it effectively:

* One in every 400-500 children in the world has diabetes.

* Approximately 150,000 children in the United States under the age of 18 have diabetes.

* Type 1 or juvenile diabetes occurs when the immune system begins to generate cells that destroy the pancreatic cells responsible for producing insulin in the body. If the child does not receive insulin every day the child will die.

* 13,000 children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes every year. These children are at a greater risk for heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and immune complications throughout their lives.

* Type 2 or adult onset diagnosis is becoming more prevalent in children. This is a condition where the body is unable to utilize the insulin produced because it has built up a resistance to the insulin. Over time the pancreas is unable to produce sufficient quantities of insulin, and complications arise.

* Type 2 diabetes is more closely linked to obesity, especially if there is a history of diabetes in the family. It is also more prevalent in African American, Latino, Asian, and American Indian children.

Controlling diabetes in children

Just like adults, children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes will need to closely monitor both their food intake and the amount of exercise that they complete each day. While not required to eliminate all their favorite foods, it is important to teach children concepts of portion control and healthy eating. Often in todays culture there is so much to get done in a day that meals are often skipped or eaten on the run or in the car. Fast foods are not a good substitute for fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and whole grains.

Try to schedule so that your child has time to sit down to a balanced meal as often as possible, ideally three times per day. Try to include whole grains, fiber, lean meats, fish, dairy products and fresh fruits and vegetables. To get children to eat healthy try the following:

* Trail mix including a variety of nuts, dried soy nuts, dried fruits instead of potato chips.

* Granola bars instead of cookies or donuts.

* Whole grain bread instead of white bread.

* Carrot and celery sticks instead of French fries

* Bake foods instead of deep frying

* Salads with meals or as an appetizer before meals

* Raw vegetables or fruits dipped in yogurt

Remember that modeling healthy lifestyles will help your children learn. Exercise together as a family. Go for a bike ride, walk, or go to the park and have fun together. Small changes in lifestyles can lead to big changes in health conditions over time. Start small and work together as a family to reach your diet and exercise goals.

Karen Newton is a registered nurse and acclaimed author with over 25 years of health care experience. Her newest book, Diabetic Diet Secrets, is an easy to follow guide to losing weight and getting control of your diabetes. Karen offers a free Diabetic Tips Course at http://www.diabeticdietsecrets.com/diabetictips.htm.

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