When Childhood Is Blighted 

The cases of diabetes among the 
children are on the rise, reports Biplab Das 

Nowadays children are mostly occupied with indoor activities - studies, TV, video games and the Internet. Such a lifestyle has made them prone to a host of diseases. In recent years, the growing incidence of diabetes among children has been a matter of concern. 

Type 2 diabetes, a form of the disease, which used to be called adult-onset diabetes, is now affecting children, according to Dr. Ambrish Mithal, consultant endocrinologist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. He was delivering the Dr. Sunil Kumar Basu Memorial Oration at a seminar held to celebrate Insulin Discovery Day on July 30. The Diabetic Association of India (DAI), West Bengal branch, organised the seminar at Nandan II. 

In type 2 diabetes, blood insulin levels are usually normal or higher than average but the body's cells respond to it sluggishly, resulting in higher blood glucose levels. 

"Sudden hormonal changes at the onset of puberty play a role in causing this disease among children," said Mithal. "Obesity is another factor." The presence of too much fat leads to insulin resistance. "As 50 per cent of the cases are caused by obesity, exercise and restrictions on diet can be effective therapies," he said. "Having diabetes at an early age makes children susceptible to heart disease in later life," Mithal said. "Of the affected children nine per cent die before the age 30." 

"We can delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by early screening in the high-risk population," said Dr. Dasarathi Sarkar, secretary of the Diabetic Association of India. "Children whose weight is 120 per cent that of normal children should be screened at the age of 10," said Mithal. 

Another form of diabetes is type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes. "It is caused when the body's natural defenses turn on it," said Dr. Deb Dutta Majumder from the Calcutta Medical College. "The immune system perceives the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas as a threat and eradicates them." Lack of insulin increases the level of glucose in the blood. As glucose builds up in the blood, it damages the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerve cells. 

Such damage manifests as various symptoms. "The symptoms include dizziness, blackouts, diminished hearing and abnormal sweating with decreased sweating in the feet," said Dr. Gautam Das from R. G. Kar Medical College. "The victims also have difficulty in swallowing food and suffer from eye irritation." 

All patients of type 1 diabetes are treated with insulin injections. New forms of insulin have been developed, which make their way into the bloodstream faster than human insulin, said Dr. Sujoy Roy from the Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research. At the end of the programme, diabetic patients participated in a quiz contest.