Type 1 diabetes is a disease that is caused by the bodies failure to
produce insulin (specifically the pancreas), which prevents other cells in the
body from getting the sugar they need and causing sugar to build up in the
blood.
Type 1 diabetes is most commonly known as "juvenile diabetes", since it typically starts in childhood. While Type 1 diabetes has no known cure, people can live very long and healthy lives with proper care and treatment. According to the American Diabetes Association:
- Five percent to 10
percent of people with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes
- One in every 400
children and adolescents has Type 1 diabetes
- Type 1 diabetes most
often develops in girls when they reach 10 to 12 years of age and in boys
when they reach 12 to 14 years of age
- The incidence of Type
1 diabetes seems to be increasing, especially in children from birth to
age four
Some people have a predisposition to diabetes by virtue of the fact
they have a parent or sibling who also has the disease. However, most people
who develop Type 1 diabetes have no previous family history of the disease.
Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes include:
- Being very thirsty
- Increased urine output
- Losing weight without
trying
- Being hungrier than
usual (sometimes)
Symptoms of diabetes generally appear over a few days
or a few weeks. These symptoms may be more noticeable if you have been battling
the flu or another illness. Unfortunately, because some of these symptoms do
mimic the flu, they are often ignored. Waiting too long to get proper medical
care may result in diabetic ketoacidosis which can be life-threatening.
Symptoms of ketoacidosis include:
- Flushed, hot and dry
skin
- Unexplained lack of
appetite
- Abdominal pain and
vomiting
- Fruity breath odor
that is inordinately strong
- Confusion is also a
common symptom
- Breathing changes
including fast, shallow breathing
Type 1 diabetes is caused by the immune system destroying beta cells
which produce insulin. As a result, our bodies are unable to supply enough
insulin to keep our body healthy. Enteroviruses, such as coxsackie viruses and
echoviruses, which live in the intestines of humans and other animals, may
contribute to the possibility of developing Type 1 diabetes.
If not controlled, diabetes can cause complications that can affect nearly every organ in the body, including:
- Heart and blood
vessel damage - studies show that controlling diabetes can
prevent or stop the progression of heart and blood vessel disease in
diabetics. Left uncontrolled, blood vessel damage can lead to a host of
problems including potential amputation of the leg and foot (more than 60
percent of amputations are due to diabetes).
- Eye problems -
the leading cause of blindness in the United States, diabetes can cause
glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Left untreated these
diseases of the eye may potentially lead to blindness.
- Kidney damage -
typically treated with medications that would lower blood pressure (even
if you don't have high blood pressure), diabetes is the most common cause
of kidney failure in the United States.
- Nerve damage -
high blood glucose levels can cause loss of feeling in the feet. Early
symptoms of this type of damage are often a burning sensation in the feet.
If left unchecked, diabetes can cause pain in the legs, arms, and hands.
Nerve damage can cause problems with digestion, going to the bathroom or
having sex.
- Tooth decay and gum disease – while the reasons are unknown, people with Type 1 diabetes are at higher risk for gum disease. Both can be prevented by having a good oral care routine and seeing a dentist regularly.
Anyone who is displaying symptoms that may be associated with diabetes
of any type is strongly encouraged to seek medical advice. Only with proper
treatment may this disease be controlled and allow the person to live a normal
life.
Image credit:
Häggström, Mikael. "Medical gallery of Mikael Häggström 2014".
Wikiversity Journal of Medicine 1 (2). DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.008. ISSN
20018762. (See above. All used images are in public domain.) [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons
