Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body does not make or properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert glucose (sugar) and other food into energy. There are two main types — type 1 and type 2 diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes have a pancreas that doesn’t produce enough insulin — or stops producing it altogether. This means that without treatment sugar can build up in the blood. Therefore, people with type 1 diabetes need to have insulin shots on a regular basis to help keep their blood sugar as close to normal as possible.

Cause of Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas that regulate blood glucose. A combination of genetic and environmental factors put people at increased risk for type 1 diabetes. Researchers are working to identify these factors and to stop the autoimmune process that destroys the pancreas.

Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age, but it most often occurs in children and young adults. Type 1 diabetes has an acute onset, with children and adolescents usually able to pinpoint when symptoms began.

Since the pancreas can no longer produce insulin, people with type 1 diabetes require daily injections of insulin for life. People with type 1 diabetes are at risk for long-term complications, such as damage to:

* Cardiovascular system
* Kidneys
* Eyes
* Nerves
* Blood vessels
* Gums
* Teeth.

Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes

The symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually develop over a short period of time. They include:

* Increased thirst and urination
* Constant hunger
* Weight loss
* Blurred vision.

Treating Type 1 Diabetes

A type 1 diabetes treatment plan for young people includes:

* Insulin therapy
* Self-monitoring of blood glucose
* Healthy eating
* Physical activity.

The plan is designed to ensure proper growth and prevention of hypoglycemia. New management strategies are helping children with type 1 diabetes live long and healthy lives.

Statistics on Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes accounts for 5 percent to 10 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes, but is the leading cause of diabetes in children. Type 1 diabetes in U.S. children and adolescents may be increasing.