I have diabetes!
I have been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes!
The Most Important Thing: Don't Panic!
Parents, we need you now more than ever. During the approximately two-week hospital stay, you will receive educational training and meet your doctor. During this time, you will learn everything necessary for managing diabetes.
What is Diabetes? How Does It Develop? What Are the Symptoms? Find Out Now!
Check out our professional blog: What is Diabetes and What Are the Symptoms?
Managing Type 1 Diabetes
In addition to a healthy diet essential for development, insulin replacement and regular physical activity are necessary. The goal is to keep blood sugar levels within the appropriate range to maintain a healthy, complication-free life.
Diet
A diet following the principles of healthy eating is recommended. Ingredients that cause a rapid increase in blood sugar should be avoided. It is essential to know the carbohydrate content of each meal because the insulin administered with meals is meant to counterbalance the blood sugar-raising effect of carbohydrates, keeping blood sugar levels within the normal range.
Insulin Replacement
Since the body does not produce (enough) insulin, it must be replaced through the skin using an injection pen or an insulin pump.
Exercise
Regular physical activity is essential for the proper development of children with type 1 diabetes. However, not all sports have the same effect on blood sugar levels, so it is crucial to monitor blood sugar during exercise to ensure safety.
Which sports are suitable for people with diabetes? Find out more in our blog on diabetes and physical activity!
Blood Sugar Levels
For individuals with type 1 diabetes, maintaining blood sugar levels within the appropriate range requires constant attention and, if necessary, intervention 24 hours a day. Both dangerously low and (in treated diabetics, much rarer) dangerously high blood sugar levels can cause symptoms. Prompt intervention can usually resolve low blood sugar symptoms within 10-15 minutes.
Most common symptoms of low blood sugar:
- Shaking
- Confusion
- Sweating
- Intense hunger
- Weakness
What to do:
Consume a food or drink containing fast-absorbing carbohydrates. Sugars dissolved in liquids raise blood sugar levels the fastest. Hypoglycemia occurs when the body has too much insulin (for example, if the child injected too much insulin or ate too little), so carbohydrate intake is needed to quickly raise blood sugar levels.
Most Common Symptoms of High Blood Sugar:
- Intense thirst and frequent drinking
- Frequent urination
- Weakness
- Characteristic "acetone" breath
What to do:
Drink plenty of water and consider insulin correction (administering additional insulin if needed). High blood sugar-related discomfort is rare in well-managed type 1 diabetes, but it can occur, so regular blood sugar monitoring is essential!
Want to understand which carbohydrate types cause a slight, moderate, or significant rise in blood sugar?
Find out more: Don’t Let Your Blood Sugar Spike!
I Have Been Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes!
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, characterized by impaired insulin secretion and insulin resistance. In most cases, the body produces insulin, but it cannot effectively lower blood sugar levels. As a result, blood sugar levels rise, leading to numerous complications throughout the body.
How Does It Develop?
Many people do not notice any symptoms, as the body may not exhibit clear signs. Sometimes, it causes non-specific symptoms such as frequent urination, menstrual irregularities, or persistent thirst, which might not immediately suggest diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes often remains undiagnosed until a routine screening test. However, early detection is crucial, as untreated diabetes can lead to serious, life-threatening complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.
What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?
This type of diabetes develops when the body cannot use insulin properly due to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance occurs when muscle, fat, and liver cells do not respond to insulin as they should. Insulin, produced by the pancreas, is essential for life and regulates blood sugar levels.
If the body does not respond well to insulin, the pancreas must produce more to compensate for rising blood sugar levels. Over time, the pancreas becomes overworked and cannot produce enough insulin, while the body’s cells become even more resistant to it. This leads to type 2 diabetes, where the body’s natural blood sugar regulation mechanisms are impaired.
Who is at Risk?
Type 2 diabetes primarily affects individuals who:
- Have a family history of diabetes (parents or siblings)
- Are overweight
- Have abnormal blood lipid levels (low HDL cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol, or high triglycerides)
- Have high blood pressure
Obesity, abnormal blood lipids, and high blood pressure are often early warning signs of diabetes. In many cases, these conditions appear before diabetes develops, or they can emerge alongside it.
This is why type 2 diabetes is now recognized as a key component of metabolic syndrome in at least 90% of cases.
The Dangers of Type 2 Diabetes
The biggest risk is that type 2 diabetes, along with associated health issues, significantly increases the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases.
This means that individuals with type 2 diabetes are:
- 3 to 5 times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke
- 30 to 40 times more likely to require a lower limb amputation
Take Care of Your Health!
Learn more from the Újszeged Medical Center’s professional blog, which is led by our team of specialized doctors and provides expert, reliable information.