Every year in the U.S., 13,000 children receive a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, according to KidsHealth, an information website produced by the nonprofit Nemours Foundation. Caring for a toddler with diabetes may feel overwhelming at first. Diabetes is a chronic condition that requires close attention. The parents or caretakers of a toddler must learn to give insulin injections, count carbohydrates and monitor blood glucose levels.
A child's diabetes care team can provide resources for managing blood sugar, dealing with medical issues and supporting both the parents and child who must live and cope with diabetes. With proper treatment, according to the MayoClinic.com, parents can expect their toddler with type 1 diabetes to live a long and healthy life.
Types
In type 1 diabetes, formerly called juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent diabetes, the toddler's pancreas does not produce insulin, which needs to be provided periodically by an insulin injection or pump. In type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult-onset diabetes and usually associated with obesity, the body does not make enough insulin and does not use insulin effectively.
Normally, the amount of glucose in the blood rises after a meal and, in response, the pancreas makes insulin and releases it into the bloodstream. But with diabetes, the body either cannot make insulin or does not respond properly to insulin. Without insulin, glucose cannot get into the cells to be burned for energy. It stays in the bloodstream instead and can cause health problems.
Causes
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the destruction of cells that normally make insulin results from an autoimmune response in which the toddler's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the cells as though they were foreign invaders. The cause is not fully known but may involve viruses or other agents in the environment as well as a genetic predisposition.
Symptoms
Less than 1 percent of diabetes is diagnosed in a child's first year and less than 10 percent before the age of five. The diagnosis is often missed or delayed in younger children because it is less common in younger children and the symptoms are easily confused with minor illnesses. Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst, increased urination, weight loss, dehydration, severe diaper rash that does not respond to treatment and persistent vomiting with weakness or drowsiness. Talk to the toddler's doctor about any of these signs or symptoms.
Treatment
Blood tests can confirm diabetes. Immediate treatment includes insulin injections and sometimes intravenous fluids if needed to correct dehydration and vomiting. A health care team, including a physician, nurse and dietitian specializing in diabetes, teaches the family how to manage diabetes. Part of the diabetes education is learning how to test blood glucose from a finger stick drop of blood and how to give insulin injections. Other important aspects of treatment include learning about nutrition, meal planning and exercise.
Coping Strategies
Helpful hints include reducing anxiety by adopting a matter-of-fact approach to injections, mealtimes and finger pricks. Acknowledge the toddler's feelings and provide reassurance. AboutKidsHealth, an initiative of the Sick Kids Hospital, suggests making preparations in another room to minimize the toddler's anxiety, letting her choose the finger to prick and giving a big hug and kiss afterward. Together with the health care team, develop a care plan that does not interfere with the toddler's daily activities including naps and snacks.
