Juvenile Diabetes is the second name of Type 1 diabetes.
It's called juvenile diabetes because most of the patients with diabetes type 1 are children and young adults (usually under 40).
This form of diabetes doesn't occur because of obesity or excessive eating of sugar or sweat food.
The health providers are still not sure about the causes, but one of the main theories is about certain viruses that have a great resemblance to the beta cells.
When such a virus hits the body, the immune system destroys the virus and the beta cells immediately because of the resemblance, and the production of the insulin is interrupted.
It's called also "Autoimmune disease" because of the confusion of the immune system which recognizes the beta cells as an enemy.
Watch 11 years old Tristan's story about his diabetes
For the health of your child, he needs to learn to balance insulin, food, and exercise.
The body of a kid without diabetes produces just the right amount of insulin to maintain a normal blood glucose level.
If he does not eat, very little insulin is produced. If he eats a lot, his body produces much more insulin.
Because your child's body is not producing insulin, he must obtain it through injections.
The insulin he injects to his body controls a constant amount of blood glucose. If he skips a meal, the insulin keeps right on working, reducing his blood glucose level.
If he eats more food than the insulin he injected can handle, his blood sugar level will go very high.
VERY IMPORTANT ! |
Return from Juvenile Diabetes to Diabetes Situations
Return to Home Page