1. Young people with diabetes have too much sugar in their blood. Something has gone wrong with their system that converts the sugar glucose into energy. The hormone that controls this is called insulin. Most children and young people have Type 1 diabetes, where the pancreas is not supplying enough insulin. They need insulin injections.
2. Type 2 diabetes is slightly different. It used to be called adult onset because it was virtually unknown outside middle age. Worryingly, some under-16s are now developing it. It occurs when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin produced does not work properly. Overweight people are particularly likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. It tends to run in families and is more common in Asian and African-Caribbean communities.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
