Far too many children with Type 1 diabetes are being rushed to the hospital with potentially deadly complications of the disease, according to the charity Diabetes UK. The news was reported in a recent article from BBC News.
People with Type 1 diabetes do not produce insulin, the hormone that regulates sugar levels in the blood. Therefore, they must take insulin injections or wear an external insulin pump that provides them with a drip of the hormone.
The charity said that a number of the 3,300 hospital admissions due to diabetic ketoacidosis in the last two years could have been prevented with better care. Diabetes can lead to several long-term complications, including blindness, stroke and heart disease. However, diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, is a side-effect that can result from a lack of insulin in the body and elevated blood sugar. Symptoms of DKA include vomiting, a stomach ache, and rapid breathing, among others. If DKA is left untreated, it can lead to death.
The charity said the rise in hospital cases can be attributed to poor management of the disease as well as kids being diagnosed with the disease at a later stage when it has already wreaked havoc on the body. The charity also noted that many of the patients need better access to doctors and diabetes specialists.
To receive free news updates from Diabetes News Hound delivered straight to your Inbox, sign up here.
If you already receive the free Alerts, spread the word by telling a friend to sign up here.
