Like other children, they like to have fun, play games, and crave that piece of sweets to eat, but disease prevents them from it, and so does their parents' close monitoring of them. Every child at their age eats and plays as they want, while they are injected with insulin, having no clue why they have diabetes.
Childhood diabetes is a condition in which the child's body does not produce an important hormone (insulin), and the child needs insulin to survive, so the missing insulin in the body must be replaced by injections or an insulin pump.
Dr. Hussein Ali Abd al-Rub, a pediatrician, said in an interview with "Khuyut", that "most of the causes of diabetes are unknown, and some of its causes are: disorders of the pancreas and insulin receptors on cells, and other factors that help in the emergence of diabetes, including obesity and lack of sleep, in addition to fear. Or sudden panic, which, according to Abd al-Rab, leads to psychological pressures that in turn lead to the emergence of diabetes. In addition to these factors, the genetic factor, which is now known to doctors and families of affected children.
Experienced Mothers tales
The mothers of the two girls, Alaa and Hajar, told "Khuyut" that the common cause of diabetes among children is due to a genetic factor. The girl's mother (A.A) also indicated that she did not know the cause of her daughter's illness, but most of those around her suggested that she breastfed her daughter and did not know that she had diabetes, so the disease passed to her daughter.
(R.Q) indicated that she had been exposed to diabetes since she was 10 years old, because of fear, as it happened that she was exposed to an electric circuit, and in another time she was terrified by a dog that ran after her, and in both cases her fear was severe, and this was confirmed by (Roe), and all of them A resident of the capital, Sanaa, said that her diabetes began when she was nine years old, as a result of a severe state of terror she was exposed to.
Symptoms of childhood diabetes
Diabetes has many symptoms that are easy to notice, as explained by Dr. Hussein Abd al-Rub, common symptoms include excessive drinking of water (thirst), frequent urination, and excessive eating (gluttony). The mother of the child, Alaa, who has diabetes, added that she sometimes falls into a coma, shivering when hungry, and urinating frequently, in addition to the symptoms mentioned by Dr. Hussein.
The mother of the child, Hajar, and the mother of the child (A.A) agreed that their two daughters cannot control themselves, meaning that they showed a nervous behavior, which leads to their exhaustion. As for (R.Q) and (Roi), they explained that they suffer from frequent urination, especially at night. (R.Q.): When the symptoms of the disease began to appear in me, I became very lethargic, and from the severity of the lethargy, I was unable to move, and my weight decreased significantly. Another girl, “(Rua’a) suffered in the first days of her illness from darkening under her eyes in addition to the above previous symptoms. Therefore. Experts and specialists advise that you consult your pediatrician if you find any signs or symptoms of this kind.
Diet for the sake of the child health
Dr. Abd al-Rab indicates that it is necessary to make a diet to maintain the health of a child with diabetes, and to follow it up on a regular basis. Abd al-Rab lists the foods that are prohibited for the affected child, including:
regular sugar wherever available, honey, sweets, sweetened soft drinks, bananas, grapes, fresh figs, dried fruits such as dates, peanuts, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, cream, sweetened cheese, animal liver, fatty meat of all kinds, and fat broth, local homemade ghee, and other prohibited foods that increase sugar in the patient. He added that it is preferable for a child with diabetes to eat green vegetables, fish, and non-fatty foods.
And both (Um Alaa) and (Um Hajar) confirmed that their two daughters are forbidden from eating sugars and starches in general, and that they ensured to have a lot of vegetables and fruits in the food of their two daughters. In short, (Umm Alaa) said that the diet followed for older patients is the same for children as well as exercising sports. Similarly, AA's mother says that she generally banned cooking oils from her daughter's food. (R.Q) and (Roy) confirmed that they completely abstained from eating sugars, starches and carbohydrates, and that most of their food consists of bread, soup, and salads. Dr. Hussein stresses that the diabetic child must be followed up to prevent complications from diabetes.
Diabetes Complications
Diabetes can affect major organs in a child's body. Dr. Hussein also stresses that the child is obligated to eat the food in an appropriate manner, in order to avoid any complications of diabetes, the most important of which are: kidney failure, the effect of diabetes on the retina of the eye that may lead to blindness, and also the effect of diabetes on the nerves, which leads to damage. Diabetic patients are also prone to developing the so-called "diabetic foot", and the effect of diabetes on immunity makes the child vulnerable to infection due to his inability to resist epidemics and diseases. Weight loss is also a symptom of its complications, and it also affects the heart muscle, which may lead to its failure plus it's impact on the blood vessels and bones.
Appropriate treatment
Depending on his or her age, you and your child should learn how to give injections, count carbohydrates and monitor blood sugar. Dr. Hussein explains that there are many types of insulin, including pure (aqueous) insulin and the other (turbid) or mixed. However, (Um Hajar) indicates that she does not use any medical drug for her daughter as much as she encourages her to eat healthy food, and that she resorts to insulin only, when the child's disease is severe. As for (R.Q), she says that she has been using insulin needles since diabetic infection of her daughter.
Medical Advice
In his last speech to Khuyut, Dr. Hussein Abd al-Rab advises families of children with diabetes, that it is necessary to adhere to the treatment and periodic follow-up of the child with his specialist doctor. It is also highly recommended to feed the affected children healthy meals that nourish their bodies, and to monitor their condition so that they do not eat prohibited foods, which cause diabetic complications.
