One of my friends recently lost her precious little girl to juvenile diabetes. I wanted to share this article that she recently wrote with you.
Education and Vigilance Needed for Juvenile Diabetes
In sharing our story with other parents, some of the most common responses they have given to me are, "Your story scares me to death." "How can I, as a parent, know when I should be worried about a symptom?" "Because of what has happened to you, it makes me want to take my child to the ER every time they have so much as a sniffle!" A parent's first line of defense against Juvenile (type 1) Diabetes is education coupled with vigilance.
Let's get educated. Unfortunately, Juvenile Diabetes can mimic other common childhood illnesses, so it's very important to pay attention to the symptoms that your child is exhibiting. If your child exhibits any of these symptoms do not hesitate to take them to your doctor.
Recognized Signs and Symptoms of Juvenile Diabetes
Rapid Weight Loss- is often the most noticeable symptom.
Extreme thirst - is not unusual in children, especially in warm weather. Also, once children are old enough and tall enough get water themselves it can be difficult to monitor their fluid intake.
Frequent urination - this becomes more obvious to parents if traveling with children, but just around the home it can be difficult to spot.
Eye Sight or Vision Changes - should not be attributed to too much time in front of the television or computer screen.
Sweet smelling breath- may be noticed by parents, but can just as easily be attributed to something the child has eaten.
Increased appetites- may be evident, but of course children are growing and can have large appetites.
Lack of energy or even drowsiness - unless excessive, may go unnoticed. Many children now lead very sedentary lifestyles and lethargy may simply not be noticed.
Heavy, labored breathing - another symptom which can be masked by any number of respiratory problems which seem to be more prevalent in children (i.e. asthma).
In this busy life that we lead, we have to be aware of what is "normal" for our child. Does the child typically rest or seem tired during the day? Do they normally drink a lot, or is this something new? Is the child dieting and purposely trying to lose weight? This is where parental vigilance comes into play. Don't just dismiss unusual behaviors as simply a child being a child.
The doctor that treated our daughter told us that Mary Kathryn had been having difficulty for 3 months. The doctor could tell this by some of the tests that she had performed. Upon reflection, after the doctor revealed that information to us, I could remember that Mary Kathryn had started drinking more during that time frame. Not substantially more, but just enough for me to notice and dismiss it as something that wasn't alarming. After all, I usually sip on something frequently throughout the day…so I thought she was going to be like me.
In Juvenile Diabetes, there DOES NOT have to be a family history of the disease. It strikes suddenly and without apparent warning. However, once there is a diagnosis of Juvenile Diabetes in a family, the risk to other siblings is increased and those children should be monitored.
Within a few weeks of Mary Kathryn's death, I had purchased a Glucometer, the blood test strips and Ketone Urinalysis strips to have on hand. I purchased all of these items at WalMart for just under $50. None of the items require a prescription. I've tested our whole family and will continue to do so, because you just…don't…know. You can also have your doctor perform this test in his office. It's quick and inexpensive and will let you know almost immediately if there is a problem.
Education is our only weapon in combating this disease. It is so important that we try to bring about a change in how this illness is diagnosed. With all the medical advances that have been made in the world, it is unfathomable to me that there is not a more proactive way to combat this illness. Whether it's a need for more information in the doctors offices or mandated blood tests to help with early diagnosis…I don't have the answer. All I do know is, that not so much as a whisper about Juvenile Diabetes, the signs or symptoms of this disease, has ever mentioned to me during routine doctor visits or at any other time. I was aware of other kids having Juvenile Diabetes, but I assumed it was because one of the parents had the disease or there was a family history of it somewhere in their family. Obviously, it was just a lack of education on my part.
It's my hope that this article will further help educate parents about this disease. In the end as parents, our most precious gift is our children. Our wealth is not in the amount of money we have or our possessions, it's in the lives of the children with which we've been entrusted. Whether they're our own children or those that we've been fortunate enough to have been allowed the time to share in their lives, children mold us every bit as much as we try to mold them and they leave an indelible mark on our lives that will forever remain.
