Diabetes mellitus is a very serious disease of the endocrine system that causes blood sugar level (BGL) to rise to dangerous and, if left unchecked, fatal levels:

(1) by destroying the insulin-producing beta cells in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, rendering it unable to manufacture insulin, the hormone that instructs each cell to "let in" glucose from the blood stream to promote normal cell function. Known as Type 1 or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), formerly "juvenile" or "juvenile-onset" diabetes, it is an autoimmune disease usually found in younger people and treated with insulin injections (read more here and here...);

(2) or by preventing the cells from using any insulin produced to "let in" the sugar from the blood stream, resulting from insulin resistance. Known as Type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), formerly "adult-onset" diabetes, it is often found in older sedentary, overweight people but, alarmingly, now more and more in sedentary, overweight youngsters. It is usually treated with dietary improvement, weight loss, exercise and, if and when needed, oral prescription medications (read more here and here...)

There are other types of diabetes mellitus in addition to Types 1 and 2, such as Types 1½ and 3. Read more...

Plus there's gestational diabetes, pre-diabetes, and diabetes insipidus, which isn't diabetes at all, but has a few symptoms that are similar, such as increased thirst and urination. Read more...

In any case, untreated diabetes causes glucose (simple sugar) to build up in the blood stream instead of being passed into and used by the cells for normal functioning, resulting in immediate symptoms such as fatigue and irritability resulting from starving cells, and long-term complications, some life-threatening, such as heart disease, kidney failure, numbness or tingling in extremities, sores that don't heal, infections, loss of eyesight, coma or death. But treatment is available for both types of diabetes. The type of treatment depends on the cause or type of diabetes and all types include testing BGL throughout the day. Appropriate medical advice and treatment; diabetes education; a health-promoting lifestyle, including proper diet, nutritional supplements, and exercise; and special attention to vulnerable areas (feet, eyes, etc.) are indicated for all cases of diabetes. I recommend that you read more about the disease and discuss the information with your doctor.   Read about Type 1 complications and Type 2 complications.

Symptoms to Watch For

The symptoms of diabetes may not seem serious at first, so it can go without an early diagnosis. Early detection and treatment, however, can decrease the chance of developing short- and long-term complications. Symptoms include:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unusual weight loss
• Increased fatigue
• Irritability or moodiness
• Blurry vision

If you or someone you know has one or more of these diabetes symptoms, contact a doctor right away.

Pay Close Attention to Your Children!

Is one of your children always asking for something to drink? Constantly in the refrigerator for juice? Up several times a night to urinate? Tired or cranky much of the time? Losing weight for no obvious reason? Generally looking ill?

My 17-year-old son looked as if he had anorexia nervosa when we first had him tested for diabetes. He had gradually lost weight without us noticing it much, even though he didn't have a problem eating, and he just didn't look healthy. We finally realized there was something definitely wrong so we had him examined and tested by his doctor. Mike spent a few days in the hospital being treated to bring down his 500+ BGL and learning how to treat his newly-diagnosed disease.

Seek medical attention as soon as you notice or even suspect the possibility of any of the symptoms. Don't wait too long—catch it early. Get your child's BGL tested immediately and then walk with him every step of the way to develop a good routine of diabetic self-care, emphasizing the importance of "testing & treating" throughout the day. Replacing the "testing" of BGL with "guessing" is not acceptable and is downright dangerous! Test strips can be expensive, and lancing your fingers can be painful (oh, it doesn't hurt that bad), but testing is vital to control this insidious disease! Proper treatment and medical support will do much to help your child lead a relatively normal, long and happy life. Read more...