Currently, about 200 children are receiving medical treatment for diabetes.
According to Yangon Children’s Hospital, there are nearly 400 children with diabetes in Yangon Region over the past nine years, and 200 children are currently receiving medical treatment.
Yangon Children’s Hospital opens an outpatient department and is treating type-1 diabetes and type-2 diabetes. All types of diabetes are caused by high blood sugar and is a chronic disease.
Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas can no longer produce insulin, and if blood sugar cannot be controlled with medication, insulin injections are required.
According to the statistics, the patient must receive treatment for diabetes throughout his life. There is no cure for type 1 diabetes, so prevention is the only way to respond the disease. Type 2 diabetes can be reduced by making changes to the child’s life style and changing diet and behavior.
People with a family history of diabetes, sedentary people, and those who eat sugary foods are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
According to the Ministry of Health, if children have symptoms of type 2 diabetes, such as excessive urination and frequent thirst, as well as gradual weight loss and weight gain, they should see nearest pediatrician.
Childhood hormone-related diabetes is a lesser-known condition. Since January 2014, Yangon Children’s Hospital has opened an outpatient department for patients with this disease and is treating them every Tuesday. — TWA/KZL
