Diabetes - 1. What is Diabetes

1. What is Diabetes

  • What is Diabetes?

    Diabetes is a disease in which your body either can't produce insulin or can't properly use the insulin it produces.

    Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas.

  • Types of Diabetes

    There are two types of diabetes that may affect school-aged children:

    (Click below for more information)

    Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)

    Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)

    Affects approximately 1 in 300 children. A child of any age can develop T1D. Type 1 Diabetes is thought to be an auto immune disease, where the body’s immune system attacks the pancreas, causing it to stop producing insulin.

    Insulin is a hormone that helps the body control the level of sugar or glucose in the blood. Without insulin, glucose accumulates in the blood, instead of being used by the body for energy.

    To manage T1D, blood sugar is monitored frequently and insulin is taken daily by injection or by using an insulin pump. Type 1 Diabetes is a life long disease and cannot be prevented. It is not caused by improper diet, such as too much sugar.

    Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)

    Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)

    Occurs when the body doesn’t respond to the insulin it produces, the body becomes resistant to insulin. The body may also not produce enough insulin to function properly.

    Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is more common in adults, but is becoming more prevalent in children. Symptoms are often mild or absent, making it difficult to detect.

    The development of T2D is closely related to life style factors such as weight, sedentary lifestyle, and poor eating habits. Children and youth with T2D usually use oral medications to manage their diabetes. They rarely experience emergency episodes of high or low blood sugar.

  • Video(s) used with permission of the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) on behalf of Diabetes@School, a partnership of the CPS, Diabetes Canada, and the Canadian Pediatric Endocrine Group. For more information, visit www.diabetesatschool.ca (March 2022)

    Low Blood Sugar: Hypoglycemia

    Low blood sugar:

    • is a reading on the student’s meter less than 4.0mmol/L
    • occurs when the sugar level in the blood drops below what the body needs to function normally
    • can occur quickly and become an emergency. If left untreated, this type of reaction can lead to seizures, coma and death.

    Hypoglycemia four most common causes:

    1. Too much insulin, and not enough food
    2. Missing or delaying meals or snacks
    3. Unplanned physical activity, in which food and insulin hasn’t been adjusted
    4. Illness involving vomiting or diarrhea

  • Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar

    Low blood sugar can range in severity from mild to severe. The blood sugar level at which signs and symptoms start to show will vary among students and within the same student in different situations. Younger children may not be able to recognize symptoms of low blood sugar.

    (Click the circles for more information)

    Mild To Moderate

    Mild To Moderate

    • Sweaty
    • Shaky
    • Hungry
    • Pale
    • Dizzy
    • Mood changes
    • Irritable
    • Tired/sleepy
    • Blurry /double vision
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Confused
    • Poor coordination
    • Difficulty speaking
    • Headache
    Severe

    Severe

    • Seizures
    • Loss of consciousness

  • Video(s) used with permission of the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) on behalf of Diabetes@School, a partnership of the CPS, Diabetes Canada, and the Canadian Pediatric Endocrine Group. For more information, visit www.diabetesatschool.ca

    High Blood Sugar: Hyperglycemia

    High blood sugar is when the student’s blood sugar is above their target range. Their target range is individual and defined on their Diabetes Support plan. It can occur when food, activity and medications are not balanced, or when sick or under stress.

    Symptoms of High Blood Sugar:

    • Increased thirst
    • Dry mouth
    • Urinating more often than usual
    • Change in appetite or nausea
    • Blurry vision
    • Tiredness

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