BABY AND CHILDHOOD DISORDERS OF THE PANCREAS: DIABETES
Diabetes (or diabetes mellitus, if you prefer the full technical name) is inherited by baby. If affects the way the body handles the main ( omponents of food, the protein, fat and carbohydrate elements. A hormone called insulin is normally produced by the pancreas, a gland situated near the intestinal system. In the diabetic child, it is believed an abnormal kind of insulin is produced, which fails to perform its normal function of converting sugars into a form in which they may be stored. But it also seems to interfere with the way in which food in general is handled by the body.
Early in life (the first few months), the mother may notice that her baby is very thirsty, drinking a lot of fluid (and often wanting more), and passing fairly large quantities of urine. Instead of a normal weight gain, the baby may actually lose weight, despite a fairly good appetite. The child seems continually tired, and fatigues easily. Crampy pains in the limbs or body are common. In some cases, the baby may dramatically slip into unconsciousness (< ailed a diabetic coma).
In older children in whom the disorder has not been treated, there may be a reduced rate of growth and poor development. There may be psychological problems. As such children grow older, more and more symptoms will gradually appear, and damage to the blood vessels and various organs takes place.
Treatment
Usually, an alert parent will soon detect abnormal symptoms and will seek medical advice. There are many tests, some simple screening tests which will soon give an indication of the problem. The urine is tested for sugar (or ‘glucose’, as the doctors say), and frequently there is plenty present. Blood tests are more accurate and will indicate if there are elevated levels. A test called the glucose tolerance test usually confirms the disorder. Various other investigations may be suggested.
Treatment is usually very satisfactory and will be worked out on an individual basis for each patient. For childhood diabetes, the use of insulin is usually necessary and may be necessary for the rest of the patient’s life. Parents are taught how to administer this, and soon become experts. Later on, the young patient will also learn how.
Special instructions will be given on food intake. There will be certain restrictions, and these will probably vary according to the nature and extent of activity of the child. Insulin needs may vary with exercise, and certainly if an infection takes place more insulin may be needed.
Most children with diabetes will be under the regular attention of a specialist or may attend the diabetic clinic of a major hospital which has the full facilities for treating the patient on a long-term basis.
In Australia diabetes is fairly common. There are believed to be between 75 000 and 100000 known diabetics; add to this the number of undiagnosed cases, and the figure is high. Many diabetics do not come to notice until their thirties or forties, or even later. This is called maturity onset diabetes. It is the most common kind. Patients are harbouring the disorder, but it is silent and for many years may cause no symptoms. Later in life, it may be diagnosed by chance when a patient visits the doctor for some unrelated condition and a urine test is carried out by the physician.
Diabetic coma
Occasionally the diabetic patient may slip into a diabetic coma. This may commence with marked thirst and passing a lot of urine frequently. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pains and dehydration may occur. Breathing may be long, deep and laboured, and there may be headaches, irritability and drowsiness. This may increase until the patient becomes unconscious. The skin is dry, lips very red, blood pressure low, and pulse rapid. It may be preceded by an infection.
Any form of unconsciousness needs prompt medical attention and this is no exception. The sooner the patient is taken to the emergency care ward of a large hospital the better. There proper investigation and treatment may be carried out, and there are full facilities for performing the necessary therapy.
Hypoglycaemia (‘hypo’)
Sometimes the diabetic may receive too much insulin, or may fail to eat the prescribed amount of food, or may exercise too vigorously, so that too much sugar is removed from the blood. This is called hypoglycaemia, meaning insufficient sugar (glucose) in the blood. Most diabetics (and their parents) are aware of this possibility and are usually cautioned well beforehand.
Symptoms include weakness, hunger, irritability, a faint feeling, perspiring, rapid pulse, mood changes, vomiting, feeling nervous, walking in an unsteady manner, feeling shaky and trembly; and finally the diabetic may be semiconscious. If left untreated this may lead to serious brain damage, and even death.
However, treatment is simple and very effective. Giving glucose quickly reverses the situation and symptoms may vanish. Sugar in almost any form is suitable, but never try to give anything by mouth to an unconscious patient. Patients learn to recognize the early symptoms and will usually carry glucose with them and self-medicate promptly if they feel symptoms developing. The sooner .m unconscious diabetic receives medical help the better, so taking .m unconscious person immediately to a large hospital may be the best action.
*92\87\2*
Random Posts
Leave a Reply
Please use theregistration to leave a Reply