What Is Childhood Diabetes?

What is diabetes

Childhood diabetes (also known as Type 1 Diabetes) is a medical condition in which the body cannot produce insulin. Insulin is needed by the body to convert sugar glucose) into energy for body cells. Without energy body cells cannot work. Hence without insulin our body starves to death. 

It is important to note that everyone is insulin dependent. No one can survive without insulin. People without diabetes make insulin in their pancreas.Children with diabetes need to inject insulin inside their body.

Why does the body stop producing insulin??

It is believed that in children with type one diabetes the bodies own immune system attacks and kills the beta cells in the pancreas which are responsible to make insulin. Without insulin the body cannot control blood sugar and the children suffer from dangerously high levels of blood sugars which is known as hyperglycaemia. Long standing uncontrolled hyperglycaemia is responsible for most of  the complications of diabetes. 

In this series of articles on Childhood diabetes,I shall explain the basic facts and concepts that everyone in the society should know about childhood diabetes and also I shall answer the questionsparents often ask in my clinic. Stay tumed for more articles ( every 15 days).