Children's Diabetes: How to recognize the disease that affects "monito" vidal

When Little Alonso "Monito" Vidal won the Best YouTuber Award in the Golden Copihue, sent a message to children suffering from diseases.

"I want to tell all people, children who suffer from diseases, that we have no limits and we can do what we want," said the son of the footballer Arturo Vidal.

And Alonso suffers from type 1 diabetes, which has been an issue that has kept his parents concerned.

"Monito Vidal" Gold Copihue won as best YouTuber and sent message to the children.

But what is this disease?And what are your symptoms?

According to Clínica Bupa, the most frequent diabetes developed during childhood is type 1 diabetes mellitus, which affects 90% of children who have this chronic disease.The latter is characterized by generating hyperglycemia (excess blood sugar), the result of an insulin deficit in the body.

According to the organism, when a child is diagnosed with diabetes, the role of parents or those who are in their care is essential to maintain their quality of life, develop and perform of childhood activities, since the main recommendation isMaintain controlled diabetes.

There are 4 types of diabetes that are more frequent in the children's stage, says the clinic.“Type 1 diabetes mellitus reaches 90% of diagnosed cases, while monogenic diabetes or MODY affects 5% of patients from the neonatal period.Less frequent diabetes is type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), as well as specific type diabetes (caused by syndromes, drugs, endocrinopathies, etc.), which affect only 5% of patients, ”they indicate.

Soledad Villanueva, children's endocrinologist of Bupa Santiago Clinic, points out that “diabetes in children is considered rather a life condition that, if managed well, should not prevent them from realizing anything, such as high competition sport, athletics, athletics, skating, among other physical activities. ”

In this sense, they indicate that it is important to know that this chronic disease can appear from the 6 months of life, requiring the subcutaneous insulin administration for its control and treatment.Regarding the factors that trigger the development of this type of diabetes in children, the endocrinologist makes known that “there is a genetic susceptibility and environmental factors that trigger it, there is currently no way to prevent it.It is estimated according to figures from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) that existed 542,000 patients under 15 with DM1, in 2015, with an annual incidence growth of 3%”.

As is a chronic disease, control and treatment is essential, as it can cause damage, dysfunction and failure in different organs, particularly eyes, kidneys, nervous system, heart and blood vessels, long -term in children.

"On the global diabetes figures in the world, in 2015 it was estimated that 415 million people, children and adults, had this disease and is projected to 2040 that some 642 million people will be diabetic," says Villanueva.

Symptoms and complications
Among the most common symptoms caused by diabetes, the endocrinologist identifies the following:

* Franca hyperglycemia, produced by blood glucose levels (blood sugar) over 200 mg/dl (normal is between 70-130 mg/dl).

* Polyuria, that is, abundant excretion of urine.They go to the bathroom.

* Polydipsia, exaggerated need for drinking liquids and low -term weight loss.

* Polyphia, exaggerated feeling of hunger.

* Blurred vision.

* Growth delay and greater tendency to develop infections.

Among the consequences or complications that may cause not long -term not controlled diabetes, the most common areLoss of vision (retinopathy), chronic renal failure (nephropathy), and risk of developing feet ulcers (neuropathy), in addition to limb amputations, they point out from the clinic.

At the cardiovascular level, the endocrinologist makes a warning: “Patients with diabetes have a greater incidence of developing an atherosclerotic, peripheral and brain arterial cardiovascular disease.Hypertension and alterations in lipoproteic metabolism are frequent findings in this type of patients. ”

Tips and good habits to take care of children's health
On the life habits that parents must instill in children with diabetes, the endocrinologist recommends following these tips:

* Sport in eutrophic children: they are children with normal weight (Normopese) who are recommended to perform physical activity for 1 hour, 3 times a week.In obese children, the level of physical activity must increase to 1 hour a day, every day, as recommended by the American Pediatrics Academy.

* Nutritional contribution: It is similar to that of a developing child, with a total contribution of 50% to 55% carbohydrates, of the total daily calories.Parents and diabetic children must know and handle the carbohydrates count of food for the adjustment of insulin dose to administer.

* Insulin management: Endocrinologist indicates that the education that parents have on insulin management is fundamental, especially on diseases of the disease.It is important that parents learn to adjust the insulin dose when children do sports, recommending that "whoever is in the care of a diabetic child should know the concepts of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, their effects and the types of insulin that should be administered".