The communication of the parents with the school must begin after the diagnosis because it facilitates the adaptation of the young diabetic in their school environment.
In Venezuela, the prevalence of diabetes represents about 6 and 7 percent of the population, approximately 600 thousand people with diabetes.
Of this figure, about 200 thousand children could have type 1 diabetes and approximately more than 300 thousand type 2. Both increasing, but the latter, turned into an epidemic, even more so by sedentary lifestyle that is characterized by Venezuelan children, which every timeThey do less outdoor exercises and more attached to the videos games, in addition to poor diet.
This concern was expressed by Dr. Sara Brito, head of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases of the Dr. "Carlos Arvelo" Military Hospital, in Caracas, in the program for your health, of El Carabobeño Radio.
Type 1 diabetes, of immune origin, is when an amount of substances of the same organism act against the pancreas, destroying it and that causes an almost absolute insulin deficit.
And what could be affecting the increase in type 1 diabetes?“It was previously thought that when the mother presented gestational diabetes, it did not mean that the child was exposed to the same circumstance.However, it has recently been seen that yes, that due to the diet we carry exposes the infant to a special condition when it is within the uterus, which could influence this type of autoimmune responses.There are also a number of external causes, such as viral paintings that have become more frequent or chemical substances that could be in food.There are also greater numbers of diagnosed cases because earlier diagnoses are made and all this cause type 1 diabetes to seem to have an increase in patients. ”
The most important thing is to know how to handle these types, which are often very fragile due to insulin deficit, because children have to use exogenous insulin permanently and this causes a family crisis, so they need guidance that they accept it as acondition and not as a conviction.The child has to accept his illness, the specialist stressed.
teachers must be prepared
A child who develops type 1 diabetes will require injecting insulin three or four times a day and this will coincide with school hours or even make complications such as sugar casualties.So the specialist indicates the importance of teachers should know the symptoms that could manifest and even help him in the administration of insulin, as well as explaining to the other children who understand and do not make him feel as a separate entity.
So that parents once they know about the diagnosis must be attached to school and compromise the personnel that they have a knowledge of the pathology, so that they can help the child in case it is necessary, both in the fulfillment of theirtreatment, of its diet as in cases of some complication, such as hypoglycemia.
This type of diabetes tends to diagnose the child before completing the year;Even having a little months because having an almost absolute insulin deficit they quickly develop symptoms, such as dehydration, abdominal pain, weakness, decay.A picture that merits hospitalization and is immediately detected;Although there are type 2 cases that can go unnoticed in children and adolescents.
Once it has been diagnosed, children will be recommended external insulin, a daily dose and before each meal, to resemble what is the secretion of the pancreas under normal conditions, so that throughout the day the special requirements will have special requirements thewhich once theyLearn to handle it, as well as the people around it, their condition will be provided.
Type 1 diabetes is much more difficult to control, it depends completely on insulin administration, very different from type 2 that can be improved with lifestyle changes, with oral medications.But although the number of cases is lower, it requires special care, especially since it is a population that is very sensitive, which are the children who are in development.
The first thing the teacher should know about diabetes is that this pathology if it has good control does not affect at all the intellectual abilities, learning or acquisition of student skills.
-The Diabetics Club help a lot for the attention of children with these pathologies, so that they see that they are not the only ones who have the pathology, but that many others suffer and thus can share their experiences.For example, at the La Trinidad Teaching Clinical Center, in Caracas, they handle a Camp for Children with Diabetes.But, generally in all hospital centers, both children and their parents can receive education.
So, in education is the proper management of diabetes.There are people with this disease that reach advanced ages, with optimal conditions, because they have managed to control their blood glucose levels through balanced diet and exercises.
And one of the objectives of the National Federation of Diabetes, of which Dr. Sara Brito is a management member, is to provide permanent education for training in diabetes, not only doctors, there are also nutritionists, pharmacists and even relatives of the patients whoThey wish to know about the disease that they can also take information to schools.
For more information, the Federation offers its page fenadiabetes.com and the Twiter @fenadiabetes account
towards a balanced diet
As for the diet, the specialist clarified that the diet is quite liberal, what is most restricted are easily absorbed carbohydrates, which are the sugars, but the complexes will keep them in their diet, such as proteins and a certain amount ofFatsIn general, a balanced diet, with complex carbohydrates, simple carbohydrates only in the form of good quality fruits and proteins especially those derived from chicken and fish, and fats given in polyunsaturated oils, even in some cases the consumption of fatty acids is recommended in some casesof Omega 3.
In cases of some party, their parents can send some frozen desserts so that they do not feel isolated or can consume small pieces of sweets but adapting them at the insulin doses that are injected.
Currently, there are newer insulins, the so-called “analogues-insulins”, some pens devices that can load with them, do not need cooling, so they have less risks of hypoglycemia.These analogues have facilitated the management of type 1 diabetes, so that treatment has been more friendly.
For this, parents have to educate it effectively so that according to age, the treatment knows how to be administered when it is not at home, in case you are exercising or at school.The important thing is that the child and their parents remain in a permanent contact with their doctor, so that once they learn they can adjust the dose according to the activities they will develop and the diet they will ingest, especially when they also use bombsof insulin.
Although type 1 diabetes is the most difficult to prevent, type 2 is the one that has increased in children and adolescents duefree air and in theschools barely receive physical activity once a week.Therefore, it is very important, that mothers take care of themselves during pregnancy and avoid and prevent the appearance of diabetes at this stage, especially if they have a history of type 2 diabetes, and somehow maintain an adequate diet.