Type 1 Diabetes

School TimeWith back-to-school time just around the corner, parents of children with Type 1 Diabetes should be having some important conversations with their children about how to handle the condition. Here are some tips to help you talk to your child about Type 1 Diabetes:

Explain the Condition

Type 1 Diabetes is generally detected in childhood, which means that after a child is diagnosed with the disease, his or her diet will have to be modified. Sometimes, being different than other children by having to eat different foods is the hardest part of Type 1 Diabetes for children. Lunch time can be especially difficult for Type 1 Diabetic children. That’s why we have prepared some special tips to help parents of Type 1 Diabetics plan special foods for their children that they won’t want to trade during lunchtime.

Type 1 Diabetics know better than most people that healthy, delicious treats can be hard to come by. Here are some simple snacks that will delight your taste buds… as well as your blood sugar level monitor:

It’s nearly summer, time for a trip to the beach, the mountains, or beyond. Wherever you’re vacationing, some advance planning will help ensure you have a healthy trip. Before you travel, here’s what to do:

Before you hit the road, get a letter from your doctor explaining how you take care of your diabetes. If you use insulin or any other medications or devices, it should list them. In case of emergency, you should also have a prescription for insulin or oral medication.

Skin patch delivers insulin through a minaturized pumpInsulin pump therapy, or Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII), is an increasingly attractive alternative to individual insulin injections that must be administered several times a day. With CSII, the patient is connected to a programmable pump attached to a storage reservoir, from which insulin is infused into the tissue under the skin. Continuous delivery throughout the day, more closely mimics the natural secretion of insulin from the pancreas.

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Healthy eating, physical activity, and insulin injections are the basic therapies for Type 1 Diabetes. The amount of insulin taken must be balanced with food intake and daily activities. Blood glucose levels must be closely monitored through frequent blood glucose testing.

Healthy eating, physical activity, and blood glucose testing are the basic therapies for Type 2 Diabetes. In addition, many people with Type 2 Diabetes require oral Medication, insulin, or both to control their blood glucose levels.

What are the risk factors for Diabetes?
Risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes include older age, obesity, family history of Diabetes, prior history of Gestational Diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity. African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, and some Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at particularly high risk for Type 2 Diabetes.

Risk factors are less well defined for Type 1 Diabetes than for Type 2 Diabetes, but autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors are involved in developing this type of Diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes, which was previously called insulin-dependent Diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile-onset Diabetes, may account for 5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases of Diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes, which was previously called non-insulin-dependent Diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset Diabetes, may account for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of Diabetes. Gestational is a type of Diabetes that only pregnant women get. If not treated, it can cause problems for mothers and babies.

People who think they might have Diabetes must visit a physician for diagnosis. They might have SOME or NONE of the following Symptoms:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Unexplained weight loss
• Extreme hunger
• Sudden vision changes
• Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
• Feeling very tired much of the time
• Very dry skin
• Sores that are slow to heal
• More infections than usual.