This birth date is common between Chacha Nehru and Dr. Banting, who discovered insulin.
Hence Indian Children’s Day and World Diabetes Day always fall on the same day.
Poorly controlled Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus can cause kidney, nerve and even brain damage. Recent research has thrown up the path-breaking finding that blood sugars have to be maintained between 80-180 mg/dl to minimise such outcomes. Continuous glucose monitoring in tandem with the correct use of the insulin pump help achieve this target.
The other exciting bit of news is that scientists have succeeded in developing artificial pancreas, which promises to make like a lot easier for patients of juvenile diabetes in the near future.
Speaking on the occasion of World Diabetes Day and Children’s day, Dr Subrata Dey, HOD, Academics, Pediatrics & Senior Pediatric Endocrinologist, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata, said: “Type 1 Diabetes, which is mostly seen in children, is not a disease. It’s just a deficiency. T1 DM causes cognitive impairment if poorly controlled. It is imperative that blood sugars be kept within time in range 80-180 mg/dl 80% of the time to prevent microangiopathy complications, namely kidney, eye, nerves and neurocognitive impairment. Artificial pancreas is likely to be available soon and will be the answer“
Dr Subrata Dey commemorated the day by feting and felicitating his cohort of over 200 children with T1DM with an afternoon of food and fun at Apollo Gleneagles Hospital and spread awareness about the latest innovations in the management of diabetes. T1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) is now assuming epidemic proportions. Recent statistics reveal that that there are over 1.3 lakh patients with T1 DM in India and the number is increasing exponentially.
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus is caused by insulin deficiency because of the inability of the pancreas to produce adequate amounts of insulin. The disease most commonly affects young children and teenagers when the altered body immune-system starts destroying the insulin producing beta-cells in the pancreas. Fasting blood sugar greater than 126 mg/dl or 200 mg/dl two hours after taking food is diagnostic of diabetes mellitus. Typically, the child presents with excessive thirst and urination and if diagnosis is delayed the child may come in coma.
Insulin is the cornerstone of T1 Diabetes management and needs to be administered daily in multiple doses on diabetic children. This can be done using insulin syringes or insulin pens or insulin pumps. With proper insulin therapy, appropriate diet and exercise the blood sugar levels can be well controlled and the child can lead an absolutely healthy life. Blood sugar levels should be routinely monitored at home using a glucometer. There is no role of oral medications in the management of this form of Diabetes. Comprehensive Diabetes Management instituted by paediatric endocrinologists involves a systematic 5 pronged process that includes Insulin Treatment, Nutritional Management, Physical Activity, Diabetes Education and Psychological Support and can ensure a long and productive life in a patient with Type I Diabetes Mellitus.
