Nursery World - A Unique Child Health: A guide to ... Diabetes

Early years practitioners need to know how to deal with a child who has diabetes, says Jody Blake, information manager at Wellchild.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes occurs when the level of sugar in the blood becomes higher than it should. There are two main types, called Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes in children: 90-95 per cent of children under 16 with diabetes have this type. Type 1 diabetes is also known as juvenile, early onset, or insulin-dependent diabetes. The number of children affected by Type 2 diabetes is, however, beginning to rise and is seen in children who are overweight.

Type 1 diabetes is classified as an autoimmune disease - this means that the body's immune system 'attacks' the body's own tissues. The immune system destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas so insulin can no longer be made. This then causes the blood glucose level in the blood to go very high.

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