Diabetes: Kids and Type 1 Diabetes – myfox8.com

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

The incidence of type 1 diabetes, previously known as juvenile diabetes, has been steadily rising in the United States. Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease in which the body is destroying the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, and is often diagnosed in children and young adults. While the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown, it most likely is triggered by a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors not diet or nutrition.

Diabetes is not an easy disease because it requires constant attention, its even more difficult for children to understand and to manage their own care properly. Most kids dont want to stand out among their peers or seem different and will minimize management of the disease at school or in front of their friends. It may take some time and adjustment, but advancements in the treatment of type 1 diabetes are allowing children who are diagnosed with the disease to live much more normal and high-quality lifestyles.

Signs of type 1 diabetes include weight loss, increased thirst and/or drinking, increased urination, increased appetite, and in some cases, vomiting, stomachaches, headaches and fatigue. These signs can often be mistaken for another illness, but if they persist, talk to your childs provider about testing their blood sugar levels. Everyone manages diabetes differently, and solutions that work for your child may not be the same as what works for someone else. The team of pediatric endocrinologists and medical support staff at Cone Health Pediatric Sub-Specialists of Greensboro is dedicated to educating children and families about diabetes and providing individualized treatment for children with the condition here in our community.

Spokesperson Background:

Dr. Ashley Jessup is a pediatric endocrinologist at Cone Health Pediatric Sub-Specialists of Greensboro and a member of Cone Health Medical Group. She received her Bachelor of Science in biology from North Carolina State University and completed medical school at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Dr. Jessup completed her pediatric residency at nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio and a pediatric endocrinology fellowship at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

Here is the original post:
Diabetes: Kids and Type 1 Diabetes - myfox8.com