What is Diabetes (Type 2) ?
Type 2 diabetes, or non-insulin dependent diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes. One third of children born in 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes. Our bodies need insulin (a hormone) in order to use the glucose (sugar) our body produces after digesting food. In Type 2 diabetes insulin is produced but the body cannot use the insulin properly or the body does not produce enough insulin to deliver glucose to the cells. This is called insulin resistance. High levels of glucose build up in the bloodstream and cause damage to blood vessels. All of our organs (heart, brain, kidneys, etc.) need blood vessels in order to function properly. This is why many other medical conditions are associated with diabetes. Examples are: blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, circulatory problems and nerve damage.
What are the riskfactors?
Symptoms of Diabetes (Type 2) include:
What can I do?
What is an emergency?
A diabetic emergency occurs when there is a severe imbalance between the amount of insulin and the amount of glucose in the body. A child experiences hyperglycemia when there is a high level of sugar (glucose) and a low level of insulin in the body. A child experiences hypoglycemia when there is a low level of sugar (glucose) and a high level of insulin in the body. Signs of a diabetic emergency include:
Signs of an emergency include: