DIABETES IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE: OUTLOOK FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES
I have read some alarming things about diabetes. Are these true?
Books can be misleading. Sometimes they have been written many years ago and not been properly brought up to date. This means that they do not contain recent knowledge and there is no doubt that we know a lot more about diabetes than we did in earlier days. Many of the problems which used to be encountered can now be helped and are no longer such a worry. If you do read something which seems alarming, you should discuss it with your doctor.
I have heard that diabetes can have ‘complications’. What are these?
A. These are seldom a worry in childhood, but it is true that some people, as they grow older, develop other problems of health due to their diabetes. Some of these could have been prevented, or would have been less troublesome, if the diabetes had been more carefully looked after. On the other hand, some problems may develop despite every care. Not everyone has these complications, and it is probable that as a result of the enormous amount of research in progress, we may one day be able to prevent them completely. The important complications that you may hear about are as follows:
1. Poor circulation in the legs with slow healing sores
You may also have heard of old people developing ‘gangrene’ of the feet. This can be a problem in old age but trouble can be avoided by proper care of the feet. This means keeping feet clean and dry and treating minor cuts and sores promptly and properly.
It is important to cut toe-nails correctly and have ingrowing toe-nails looked after properly. Always be sure shoes are a good fit. With these measures, and careful control of the diabetes, there is no reason why gangrene should ever develop.
2. Impaired vision or blindness
It is true that some persons with diabetes develop poor vision as they get older. We think that good diabetic control may help minimize this, and only a small number of people are likely to be seriously affected. There are some forms of treatment available for those with diabetes who show signs of eye complications, and sometimes these are very effective in preventing blindness. There is a lot of research work being done at present to study the way the blood vessels of the eye are affected by diabetes and how we can maintain good vision. The very early signs of eye problems can be detected by tests that photograph the back of the eye.
3. Kidney trouble
Once again, as with visual disorders, some people do get kidney disorders later in life as a result of diabetes. It would be surprising if modern research does not point the way in the next few years to the prevention of this.
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