REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Diabetes is not only a threat to adults, but also teenagers and even children. The Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) said, case child diabetes in 2023 to increase 70 times since 2010.
The spike in cases is an alarm for all parties to deal with the threat of this dangerous disease. There are two diabetes conditions that can be experienced by individuals namely type 1 diabetes and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is mostly experienced by children.
IDAI data shows, pediatric diabetes patients are generally aged 10 to 14 years with an amount of around 46 percent of the total number reported. Type 1 diabetes occurs due to low insulin levels due to damage to pancreatic beta cells.
People with this disease must get regular insulin injections to prevent complications. Whereas type 2 diabetes caused by the pancreas gland that can not meet the needs of insulin in the body so that insulin does not function optimally.
Pediatrician Dr. Dana Nur Prihadi SpA (K) from IDAI, said that the majority of type 1 diabetes is caused by viral infections or autoimmune diseases that occur when the baby is still in the womb. “Parents should be suspicious if a child loses weight even though at the same time the child drinks more and eats more,” he said in a media discussion entitled “Prevention of Diabetes in Children with the Right Diet and Lifestyle”, in Jakarta, Wednesday (8/3/2023).
In addition, another symptom to watch out for is a child suddenly peeing the bed at night, even though it wasn’t before. Generally, here it is diabetic symptoms type 1 in children. “Immediately check blood sugar and consult a doctor,” said Dr. Dana.
The endocrinologist said that if children receive therapy as early as possible, complications can be prevented. According to several studies, type 1 diabetes is more caused by infection during pregnancy and in the first two years of life. Dietary factors (in this case cow’s milk) have an influence on the incidence of type 1 diabetes, but the effect is not significant or very small.
Therefore, maintaining health during pregnancy by routinely checking the womb to the doctor or midwife, and consuming a balanced nutritious diet, also has an effect on the health of the fetus. That way, the risk of infection can be reduced.
“Often it doesn’t cause clear symptoms, the diagnosis of diabetes is generally missed at the start,” said Dr. Dana.
Clinical symptoms of diabetes in children to watch out for include children eating, drinking a lot, and urinating frequently (BAK). Other symptoms such as weight loss, wet the bedweak, itching, until blurred vision.
He said, children with diabetes can still carry out activities and achieve their goals. “If the metabolic control is good, the growth and development of children with diabetes will be as good as healthy children,” said Dr. Dana.
Metabolic control includes measuring HbA1C levels every three months. Try to keep blood sugar levels as normal as possible.
