What Is Type 1 Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong immune condition where the body cannot make insulin. This is a serious health problem that leads to a life-threatening emergency if not treated. It can also lead to life-changing and long-term complications. Type 1 diabetes develops in childhood. When a child is diagnosed, special care and help must be given to them and their family to help them cope.

Can Type 1 Diabetes Be Prevented?

Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented. It is caused by a problem with the body’s immune system. Type 1 diabetes can develop after a viral infection, because this has “woken up” the immune problem that was previously “sleeping”.

What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is when the body can make insulin, but there is not enough insulin, or the insulin doesn’t work properly.

Can Type 2 Diabetes Be Prevented?

Often, type 2 diabetes can be prevented. A child or teen needs to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly, so that they keep a healthy weight. Some children may be more likely to develop type 2 diabetes because of their ethnicity or genetics. This means that healthy eating and exercise are even more important for them to prevent type 2 diabetes. Sometimes, a person with type 2 diabetes can also improve their disease through healthy eating and exercise.

What Is Insulin?

Insulin is a hormone produced by cells in the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ in the digestive system.

What Does Insulin Do?

Insulin helps the body to use and store energy (glucose and fat that we eat and drink).

What Happens When the Body Doesn’t Make Insulin?

Without insulin, glucose stays in the blood rather than being “absorbed” into the body. This results in “high blood sugar”. The body cannot use it for energy and then cannot function or run normally. This is a life-threatening situation, often resulting in a diabetic coma.

What Is Glucose Monitoring?

Glucose monitoring is testing the levels of glucose in the body. It helps a person with diabetes to make sure that they are staying well throughout the day and night. Testing and tracking glucose levels helps a person use the right amount of insulin medicine, eat and drink the right amounts, and carry out the right level of energy-burning activities.

How Is Glucose Monitored?

In the past, glucose monitoring was done by testing urine or blood. Now, special devices can continually monitor glucose levels without the discomfort or difficulty of urine and blood tests. These devices are called “continuous glucose monitoring systems”, or CGMs for short.

How Do CGMs Work?

The devices usually look like a small, plastic disc attached to a person’s arm or stomach. A small sensor lies underneath the skin. The sensors measure glucose every 1 to 15 minutes during the day and night. The sensors have special settings to make sure that they are accurate (calibration).

Are CGMs Available Everywhere?

In many countries there are problems such as low CGM availability, low insurance payments, or both. This means that some children and young people with diabetes still have to use urine or blood tests to monitor their health.

What Do the New Guidelines Say about CGMs?

The guidelines say that:

1. CGMs are extremely important for children and teens with diabetes because they help them to easily care for themselves, keeping them safe from diabetes emergencies.
2. People who care for these children and teens also need teaching so that they know how to use CGMs. This includes people such as parents and babysitters, as well as healthcare professionals such as a family doctor or school nurse.

The guidelines also contain:

1. Updated information on all the technical aspects of CGMs.
2. Updated information on how to choose the right device.
3. Updated information on the science and research that confirms these recommendations.
4. Updated information on the practical use of CGMs, such as caring for the skin, and telemedicine. (Telemedicine is when you have a personal but remote appointment with your healthcarer, such as a phone or video call.)

What Are the Symptoms of Diabetes?

If you think that you or your child have diabetes, you should make an urgent appointment with your doctor or nurse to talk about your concerns. Some of the symptoms include:

• Needing the toilet a lot.
• Being thirsty a lot.
• Feeling tired a lot.
• Losing weight when you are not trying to.
• Blurred vision.
• Cuts and grazes taking a long time to heal.

Note: Some of the authors of this paper make a declaration about grants, speaker honoraria, consulting fees, advisory boards, etc. received from pharmaceutical companies. It is normal for authors to declare this in case it might be perceived as a conflict of interest. For more detail, see the Conflict of Interest Statement and the Funding Sources Statement at the end of the paper.