Juvenile Diabetes

Juvenile Diabetes is also known as Type 1 diabetes mellitus or Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). As the name suggests, juvenile diabetes generally starts in childhood, but, can also occur in some adults.

The primary cause for juvenile diabetes is that the pancreas is unable produce enough insulin as the beta cells responsible for producing insulin are permanently damaged. That is why juvenile diabetes is generally said to be lethal unless proper treatment is not taken. Juvenile diabetes is said to be an autoimmune disorder. This means that the body's immune system attacks the beta cells in the pancreas, destroying them or damaging them sufficiently and eventually eliminate insulin production.

The symptoms of juvenile diabetes is similar to the other forms of diabetes which are frequent urination (a recurrence of bed-wetting after toilet training is completed), unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, weakness, fatigue, fruity smell of breath, muscle wasting, blurred vision and irritability. Nausea and vomiting are other acute symptoms. Girl children may also have yeast infections. And at times children may complain of abdominal pain. Some other late signs could be loss of appetite, confusion and flu-like symptoms. At times children may be wrongly diagnosed for flu or appendicitis due to some of these symptoms.

Juvenile diabetes is treated by administering insulin externally using either insulin injections or insulin pumps and monitoring the glucose level in blood using a glucose meter. Insulin treatment is a must and needs to be taken through out life time. If not treated juvenile diabetes can cause diabetic coma, and even worse, result in death.

Some of the other ways of treating juvenile diabetes is by:

1. Pancreas transplantation

2. Islet cell transplantation

3. Islet cell regeneration

4. Artificial Pancreas

5. Genetic engineering

6. Immune modification

7. Stem cells.

Replacement of beta cells present in the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas is still under experimental stage. I may become available in future. This treatment has been tried on people above the age of 18 some success rate.

Parents should monitor their children and check for signs of juvenile diabetes. This is important, as in most of the cases the child develops diabetic ketoacidosis even before the first visit to the doctor. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a condition that arises due to really low insulin levels and very high level of a stress hormone causing muscle wasting and possible brain damage.