Diabetes is a pathology that can develop at any age. It also infects newborns, in this case it is possible to talk about the inherent nature of diabetes mellitus in a baby. The earlier the disease, the heavier its course. In children, it occurs in 0.1-0.3%.
The development of diabetes in newborns is similar to that in adulthood. Features are due to body growth, since the size of pancreas in children is small, and the process of insulin production completes its formation only at the age of five. That is why the age of 5-12 years is critical for pathology.
Usually the disease is divided into insulin-dependent and insulin-independent forms. The presence of signs of diabetes in children is often associated with the first type, the second type often occurs in adulthood.
Etiology
Diabetes in newborns occurs for the following reasons:
- Weighed down by heredity. A very large percentage of babies whose parents suffer from diabetes mellitus are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. In an even greater number of people, it is detected at a later age;
- Viruses. Viruses such as epidpidotitis, chickenpox, rubella, as well as hepatitis viruses cause disorders in the pancreas. In this case, the process of destruction of insulin or cells of the islets of Langerhans by its own immune system occurs. Sometimes it is possible to increase the risk of developing hereditary diabetes due to viral infections, especially in infancy;
- Bacterial infections. Here the mechanism of action is the same as the viral etiology. Immunity, starting a fight against infectious agents, starts the process of producing antibodies that, with increased production( this is possible in infants, as their immune system is just beginning to form), destroy all cells in a row, including pancreatic cells.
Clinical manifestations of
Parents should monitor their baby, because diabetes mellitus in the infant and the main symptoms of the pathology can significantly impair the child's condition. At this age, pathology develops very quickly, you can even say swiftly. And if it is not detected on time, do not start the necessary therapeutic manipulations, then you can allow the development of a coma.
The most frequent and obvious signs of pathology are:
- Dryness of tongue and lips, while the child is very restless;
- Rapid urination, the diaper is more sticky than usual;
- Frequent episodes of vomiting;
- The child is very ill gaining weight, sometimes can even lose weight;
- Children with this disease sleep poorly, very restless, do not suck well.
The clinical picture can consist of typical and atypical manifestations for pathology. All of them can be detected by parents, especially with regard to symptoms such as dry mouth and frequent urination with sticky urine. It is also often enough to detect the smell of acetone from the mouth, but it does not always indicate diabetes.
A typical clinical picture of diabetes in infancy necessarily includes the following symptoms:
- Urinary incontinence, increased incidence of urine with frequent urination. Quite often such a symptom is regarded by parents as the usual urinary incontinence at night in children or is considered the norm if it is a babe;
- Severe dryness of lips and tongue. The child sucks his chest with greed, because he wants to drink, while even sucking all the milk from his mother, dry mouth is preserved;
- Poor dynamics of weight gain with increased appetite, or a sharp decrease in body weight. This may be due to a very poor appetite, which also accompanies diabetes in infants;
- The appearance of irritations on the skin of the perineum, and various pustules can appear. Sometimes the dry skin develops;
- Among laboratory indicators, the concentration of glucose increases, there is an increase in the specific gravity of urine, acetone or sugar can be detected in it, which should not normally be there.
It is very important to conduct timely diagnostic activities with the subsequent appointment of adequate therapy.
Treatment of diabetes in infants
As of today, no method has been developed that can allow the pathology to be completely cured. Therefore, the treatment consists in the appointment of replacement therapy, which helps normalize the metabolism of glucose in the body. In addition, there is a need for constant monitoring of the glycemic profile, which is carried out by parents if the child is at home, or by medical personnel if the child is on inpatient treatment.
When the correct therapy is prescribed, the prognosis for the baby's life improves, and the general condition of the child is stabilized. This contributes to its normal growth and development, prevention of complications.
Today, medicine works in such directions:
- Development of methods for painless insulin therapy;
- Investigation of the possibility of transplantation of beta cells of the islets of Langerhans, which produce insulin;
- Development of new, more effective and effective drugs for the stabilization of carbohydrate metabolism, as well as drugs aimed at restoring the immune system.
If pathology is detected, children should be admitted to an endocrinology hospital for examination and treatment.