You Need
Children with Diabetes
The following information was extracted from a booklet called "Children with Diabetes: Guidance for teachers and school staff".
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes, or to give it its full name, diabetes mellitus, is a condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because the body is unable to use it properly. This is because the body's method of converting glucose into energy is not working as it should.
Normally the amount of glucose in our blood is carefully controlled by the hormone insulin. Insulin is made by a gland called the pancreas which lies just behind the stomach. Insulin helps the glucose to enter the cells where it is used as fuel by the body.
Children with diabetes have lost the ability to produce insulin because the cells in the pancreas that produce it have been destroyed. Without insulin, the child's body cannot use glucose and therefore the blood glucose level will rise. When this happens, the excess glucose will leak into the urine causing frequent passing of urine and increased thirst. Because the body cannot use glucose, fat is broken down instead, leading to weight loss. Therefore, a child with undiagnosed and untreated diabetes will show symptoms of thirst, frequent trips to the loo, weight loss and tiredness.
Diabetes cannot be cured, but it can be treated effectively. Children with diabetes will have treatment consisting of insulin injections and appropriate diet.
Diabetes UK (formerly The British Diabetic Association) is the largest organisation in the UK working for people with diabetes, funding research, campaigning and helping people live with the condition. They provide a large number of downloadable worksheets on their web site, along with news, details of other publications, links to other related organisations and much more.
For more information contact: Diabetes UK . Web site: www.diabetes.org.uk