The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Monday said that around 95,600 children under the age of 14 in India suffer from type-1 diabetes, with about 16,000 new cases diagnosed in the age group each year. Disease.
ICMR Director General Professor (Dr) Balram Bhargava released guidelines for the management of type 1 diabetes, providing advice on diabetes care in children, adolescents and adults.
Type-1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease characterized by insulin deficiency and hyperglycemia in people with an underlying genetic susceptibility. Notably, type-2 diabetes is emerging as a new childhood disease due to the increase in obesity in India. However, it can be controlled with lifestyle changes and a healthy diet.
Dr Nikhil Tandon, Head, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, AIIMS, said, “In this disease, due to lack of insulin, the blood sugar level rises. Also, there will be use of other sources of energy such as fats and proteins which eventually alters the body’s metabolism and causes acid production inside the body. Unless you identify and treat these individuals with insulin, there can be an acute metabolic complication that can lead to death.”
“Children and adolescents are mainly affected by this. Because, we don’t really think about children with type-1 diabetes, our mental picture of diabetes is for people who are older and overweight. But when children and young adolescents are unwell and no one thinks in this direction it could be type 1 diabetes. Therefore, there is a possibility that the diagnosis is missed and treatment is not started which turns into a life-threatening condition,” said Dr Tandon, who prepared the guidelines.
Doctors also warned against non-injection therapy. “In the absence of injectable insulin, it will always end with the child’s condition worsening, increasing the risk of death. If type 1 diabetes is suspected, insulin is the only option.