Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes, usually develops in children and young adults. It is believed to be caused by an immune reaction in which the body destroys cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. Insulin is the hormone responsible for 'telling' cells to absorb and use blood sugar, so when the cells producing it suddenly stop working, blood sugar rises very rapidly. This is what causes most of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is an acute disease, and its symptoms are usually easy to see. Although diabetes can sometimes start in infancy, the classic case history is a child in mid-teens who loses weight, feels weak and thirsty all the time, and passes a lot of urine. Often vision is disturbed, and things may seem blurred or distorted. If treatment is not started, the child may lose consciousness and enter a diabetic coma.

When a doctor suspects type 1 diabetes, he will perform a simple blood test. There are two commonly used blood tests, either of which is acceptable;

Fasting Blood Sugar Level- blood is tested for glucose levels after an overnight fast. Nothing is eaten after 12 at night, and blood is drawn in the morning. Levels over 140mg/dl on two occasions means that the person has diabetes. In type 1 diabetes levels will typically be much higher than normal.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test- the person being tested fasts for at least 10 hours, and blood is drawn. Then they are given a drink with 75 grams of glucose ( or 100 grams for a pregnant woman). Blood is taken after 30 minutes, 1 hour, two hours and three hours after this. Blood sugar levels rise after drinking the glucose in both healthy people and diabetics, but a level over 200mg/dl after 2 hours means the patient is diabetic.

Type 1 diabetes treatment

Although a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes may seem devastating, treatment options are sophisticated and many people live a full and active life with diabetes. The key to living with type 1 diabetes is education, and many good diabetes education programs exist. Patients are taught to use a glucometer to measure glucose levels, to understand when, how and where to inject insulin,and how to recognise and treat symptoms of hypoglycemia ( low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) which can be dangerous. After learning how to treat their type 1 diabetes, even quite young children are encouraged to take responsibility for their treatment. Most respond well and soon get used to dealing with it.