DIABETES MELLITUS

What are the symptoms of diabetes ?

• Intense thirst 

• Urinating often

• Blurred vision

• Enuresis after toilet training.

• To wake up for urinating at nights.

• The need for more frequent diaper changes.
• A history of prolonged / recurrent candidal infection in the diaper area

* Kids may present with abdominal pain, fatigue, acetone odor or coma if the early signs are not noticed.

What is sugar (diabetes mellitus=diabetes) ?

   All the cells need sugar to be able to work normally. Diabetes is a disorder that disrupts the way the body uses glucose.

Insulin is a hormone that helps sugar to get into the cells. 1) If there is not enough insulin, 2) if the body does not respond to insulin, sugar builds up in the blood. This is what happens to people with diabetes mellitus if it is untreated. 

What does type 1  and type 2 diabetes mean?

   Type 1 diabetes : The body does not make enough insulin. This can be treated with replacing insulin.

   Type 2 diabetes: The body becomes resistant to  insulin even though its levels are normal or high. Sometimes, additionally, there may be some insulin deficiency. Treatment includes lifestyle changes, pills and / or insulin. It is closely related to obesity.  

   Acantosis nigricans:

  If you see a similar skin appearance, please see your doctor...

   This is an indicator of insulin resistance. You can see the reactive thickened dark skin mainly on the neck, axillae or sometimes other body parts. Mothers sometimes think this is dirt and try scrubbing and removing it. 

    The development of acanthosis may be a predictor of the later development of type 2 diabetes (if untreated). Sometimes, it may be a sign of type 2 diabetes.