Diabetes (Juvenile) Treatment
As of yet, there is no cure for diabetes, but the disease can be controlled by insulin injections, diet
and a program of physical exercise. The goals of treatment are to relieve the symptoms, reduce the amount
of glucose in the blood and urine and lower the risk of complications. For insulin-dependent diabetics,
treatment consists of injections of insulin, which may be required as seldom as once a day or as often
as three times a day. Since insulin is a hormone that is digested if taken orally, it must be administrated
by injection. Therefore, it is important to learn to administer the injections yourself. This may seem
difficult at first, but with proper instruction and practice, even a child can soon master injections.
Your doctor will tell you where and how to give them.
Diet is also important in controlling diabetes. In a typical diabetic regimen, calories (800 to 1,500 daily,
depending on the patient's weight) are distributed in small meals taken at regular intervals. Carbohydrates
make up 50 to 60 percent of the total intake, with plenty of fibrous foods such as whole grain breads and
cereals, fruits and vegetables. Simple carbohydrates are restricted to 5 to 15 percent of all carbohydrates
calories and should come from natural sources such as milk and fruit rather than from candies, cookies and so
on. Of the total calories, 30 to 35 percent come from fats and 12 to 20 percent (depending on age and activity)
from protein. Key factors are controlling the intake of simple carbohydrates (sugars), eating balanced meals
and maintaining an ideal body weight.
It is important to keep rigorously to the prescribed timetable of meals and snacks. The diet is designed to
keep the blood glucose level steady so that each dose of insulin will have approximately the same amount of
glucose to act upon.
Testing
The effectiveness of the treatment in keeping blood glucose at an acceptable level must be checked frequently--in
some cases, several times a day. You may be asked to test your urine, using specially prepared paper reagent strips.
Many doctors now prefer that their patients use the relatively new blood test rather than the urine test to
monitor glucose levels. These self-monitoring kits are now widely available. A small needle or lancet is used
to prick a finger, and a drop of blood is then squeezed onto a chemically treated strip. The strip is then either
compared to color samples or inserted into a meter to identify the glucose level.
Stress
Surgery, injuries, pregnancy, emotional upsets, any illness (from a cold to a heart attack) and even changes in
the weather cause stress and thus increase the body's demand for insulin. Doctors and dentists should be told
about your condition before starting treatment, so that they can take proper precautions.
