Juvenile diabetes
Juvenile Diabetes
Juvenile diabetes, also known as Type 1 diabetes (pronounced: ty-pe wuhn dai-uh-bee-tees), is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone needed to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy.
Etymology
The term "juvenile diabetes" comes from the fact that it is often diagnosed in children and young adults. The term "diabetes" is derived from the Greek word "diabainein," meaning "to pass through," referring to the excessive urination associated with the condition. The term "type 1" is used to differentiate it from Type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms
Symptoms of juvenile diabetes include increased thirst, frequent urination, bedwetting in children who previously didn't wet the bed during the night, extreme hunger, unintended weight loss, irritability and other mood changes, fatigue and weakness, and blurred vision.
Causes
Juvenile diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake) that destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The exact cause of this reaction is still unknown, but it's likely a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors.
Treatment
Treatment for juvenile diabetes includes taking insulin, carbohydrate counting, frequent blood sugar monitoring, eating healthy foods, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight.
Related Terms
- Insulin - A hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood.
- Pancreas - An organ in the abdomen that produces insulin.
- Autoimmune diseases - Diseases in which the body's immune system attacks its own cells.
- Glucose - A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms.
- Type 2 diabetes - A chronic condition that affects the way the body processes blood sugar (glucose).
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Juvenile diabetes
- Wikipedia's article - Juvenile diabetes
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski