Dubai: Type 1 diabetes is on the rise in the UAE and today, on the World Diabetes Day, experts are calling attention to this issue, which requires concerted efforts to combat it. Type I diabetes (T1) is an autoimmune disease where the body’s own immune system attacks and destroys the insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas and can affect children from as early as zero months of age. The disease requires insulin administration through injections.
Dr Bindu Radha Devi, paediatric endocrinologist, Garhoud Hospital, told Gulf News: “In the UAE, which is ranked 16th worldwide with 19 per cent of the population living with diabetes, the number of children with T1 diabetes has doubled since 2000. The condition has been diagnosed in babies as young as 16 months. TI diabetes accounts for 5-10 per cent of total diabetics in the UAE,” said Dr Bindu.
“Living with T1D is a constant challenge,” she added. “Managing the condition in children can be harder as it involves the family as well as school authorities.”
Long-term TI diabetes can not only damage the pancreas, it can also affect the thyroid and adrenal glands and children with diabetes need to be screened for damage to these glands.
Dr Vidya Narayan, senior paediatrician, Prime Hospital, Dubai, who also has special training in paediatric endocrinology, said: “The most important thing parents need to do for children with TI diabetes is ensure strong blood sugar control. It is the key to long-term management of health in T1 patients. The glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C) test — which indicates long-term blood sugar control for these children — should be not more than 7.5. These children need to monitor their blood glucose throughout the day and eat often and smaller meals to keep blood sugar steady,” she advised.
Dr Radha Devi added that it was important for children with Type 1 diabetes to be well-versed in reading food labels, understanding their carbohydrate intake, and take insulin injections on time to keep all complications under control.
Dr Narayan emphasised the importance of preventive screening in these children. “Children need to be screened annually for other antibodies such as Ceiliac disease, thyroid, and need their kidney functions checked for early signs of kidney disease. Their blood pressure and heart functions need to be monitored as well.”
