Coping with Juvenile Diabetes
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Juvenile diabetes, which is also known as type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependant diabetes, can develop at any time of life but is most frequently diagnosed in children and teens. Type 2 diabetes, which is also referred to as insulin-resistant diabetes, is generally not seen until later in life. There is no cure for juvenile diabetes, but there have been many strides made over the years in the effective management of the disease. To understand how and why this type of diabetes must be managed so carefully, it is important to know why the disease occurs in the first place.
No one knows why some people are diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. It may have something to do with family heredity, or a viral infection, but a definitive cause has not yet been found. However, doctors do know what happens in the case of juvenile diabetes, and this has led to many positive advances in the effective management of the disease. Diagnosis and treatment of this illness can be started early on to ensure that complications from diabetes are less likely to arise. And with proper care, most people who suffer with this diabetes can go on to live long, healthy lives despite their illness.
Why Juvenile Diabetes Occurs
To understand what happens in the case of juvenile diabetes, it is important to explain the role of glucose in the body. Sugar that enters the body through the food we eat will travel through the bloodstream. Insulin, which is produced by cells in the pancreas, will help that sugar to leave the bloodstream and be absorbed by cells in the body that will convert the sugar to energy. In the case of juvenile diabetes, the body’s own immune system will attack these cells in the pancreas, leaving them unable to produce the necessary insulin. This results in sugar building in the bloodstream instead of getting to the body cells that need it.
This is why juvenile diabetes is also referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes. Since the body cannot produce the necessary insulin on its own, insulin must be introduced into the body by other means. For most people with juvenile diabetes, this means either daily insulin injections or an insulin pump that can provide the necessary substance. It also means regular testing of the blood to ensure that the sugar levels are within the normal range. Nutritious diet choices and daily exercise are also a part of the management plan for diabetes. By adhering to this program, most people with juvenile diabetes can live healthy, normal lives.
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