Question:
I hope this post appears as planned...
Recently, a friend of mine attended the funeral of one of her former
students. The little girl died of diabetes. Her parents thought
she had the flu. They didn't take her to the doctor. She went into
a coma at night and never woke up.
My heart goes out to her parents. Their pain is unimaginable.
My question is: is there any way to tell when child has diabetes when
there has been no other sign or warning? This little girl got sick on
the weekend and was dead on Tuesday.
Our health insurance put out a very slick book about when you should and
shouldn't take your child to the doctor. It's designed to keep costs
down. Even our pediatricians office has a similar booklet for parents.
I usually take the wait and see road, myself, when either I, or my children
are sick. Now, though, I'm not waiting for anything. I'm scared.
Does any one know the symptoms of the onset of juvenile diabetes on children?
Answer:
My doctor has never and according to him WILL never use the terms
Juvenile and Adult Onset Diabetes, they are too misleading.
The Juvenile diabetes is more commonly refered to as Type 1 diabetes. It is
diagnosed at birth, usualy caused by a NON-functioning pancreas. Children
with such an ailment must recieve insulin to live.
The Adult onset is refered to as Type 2 (Thats what I have). It CAN and WILL
show up in kids as young as 2 years old. This happens when the pancreas
begins to slow its production of insulin. Sometimes the rate at which it
slows down is slow sometimes it is quick.
My symptoms were easy to diagnose. General lassitude. Frequent urination. Excessive thirst. Loss of motor control in extremeties. I went for 9 1/2 months
without seing a doctor under those conditions. When I did go my blood sugar read 436 2 hours AFTER eating(normal reading is 75-150). Net loss after I was
'straightened out" was a 20% loss of leg muscle tissue, and a 85% loss of total body fat(Yes thats correct.. I will not float!)
ANOTHER thing that must be checked in children to be on the safe side when a
doctor claims diabetes, check for a hyperthyroid condition. The hyperthyroid is the 'master' endocrine gland, when it gets out of whack so
does everything else. A hyperthyroid condition can mask as diabetes, and will
apparently be 'cured'(for a period of time) as diabetes.
