Wellness - Chronic Illnesses | 9-17 yrs

How To Talk To Children About Diabetes


As per 2015 data from the International Diabetes Federation, 415 million people worldwide have diabetes, and their numbers are expected to increase with time. In fact, as per the latest study by Lancet, India, USA and China are the top three nations that have a high percentage of diabetic population. Based on the above details, it can be said that, apart from obesity, diabetes is the other silent epidemic in India.

Diabetes not only affects adults, but children as well. There are two main types of diabetes – type I and type II. Type I diabetes is a condition where the pancreas is no longer producing insulin. Insulin replacement is done by insulin injections and a proper diet regimen is adopted by a diabetic person. Such a condition can be extremely overwhelming and confusing for a child to understand. If your child is suffering from diabetes, you will need to first understand the condition well to explain it in an age-appropriate way to your child.

You must encourage your child to maintain a stress-free and healthy lifestyle. You must make him realise the importance of following a healthy eating plan and doing regular exercise in order to enjoy good health despite diabetes. Gaurav Kapur, VJ and actor, has been a diabetic for 12 years and says, “If you are diabetic, you need to keep the basic requirements in mind. So, I ensure that I get my seven hours of sleep, eat on time and take small meals at regular intervals. Also, for me, exercise is a must.”

To learn more about Diabetes and how to discuss the same with your children, please flip through the ClipBook.



What Is Diabetes?

There is a hormone (chemical) in your body, whose work is to regulate the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood. This chemical is called insulin and it is produced by a gland called pancreas. Diabetes is diagnosed if there is not enough insulin ...

Types Of Diabetes

Type1 Diabetes: This is the uncommon type, affecting mostly people below the age of 40 years. Type2 Diabetes: It is the most common type of diabetes, affecting people above 40 years of age.

Causes And Risk Factors Of Diabetes

There are two types of diabetes. This means their causes will be slightly different. Here are some risk factors of diabetes (Risk factors make a person prone to diabetes).

Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes


Tips On Diabetes Prevention

It is always a bit difficult spelling out the exact prevention tips for a disease that still has almost unknown causes. However, considering the risk factors we mentioned in the earlier pages, there may be things you can do to reduce your chances ...

How Is Diabetes Treated?

Till date, there is no medicine or cure, or therapy that will completely wipe out diabetes from a patient. Treatment aims at controlling the levels of glucose in the blood.

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