By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Tema, Nov. 14, GNA – Parents and teachers have been urged to pay attention to unusual changes in children’s urination patterns, thirst and energy levels, which could be early warning signs of diabetes.
Dr Harriet Dufie Morgan, a Member of the Endocrine Society of Ghana and an Endocrinology Fellow in Training, said children with Type 1 diabetes could develop serious complications and require urgent medical attention if the condition was not detected early.
She gave the advice at a media engagement organised with support from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) to commemorate World Diabetes Day, observed annually on November 14 to raise awareness of the condition and promote access to prevention, diagnosis and care.
Dr Morgan identified frequent urination, excessive thirst, unusual tiredness and unexplained weight loss as some of the warning signs parents and teachers should look out for.
She said children who had previously stopped bedwetting but suddenly started urinating in bed again should be assessed by a healthcare professional.
She also urged teachers to pay attention to pupils who frequently requested permission to leave the classroom to urinate and alert their parents to seek medical assessment.
Dr Morgan explained that Type 1 diabetes occurred when the body’s immune system attacked the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leaving the body unable to produce sufficient insulin.
Unlike Type 2 diabetes, she said, Type 1 diabetes was not caused by lifestyle choices and could not be prevented through diet or exercise.
She warned that children with the condition could develop diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious complication that could manifest through vomiting, abdominal pain and severe dehydration.
The specialist said early diagnosis and appropriate treatment were essential, particularly because people with Type 1 diabetes required insulin to survive.
She, therefore, urged parents not to dismiss unusual symptoms in children but to seek medical attention promptly whenever they noticed concerning changes.
World Diabetes Day is observed annually on November 14 to raise awareness of diabetes and promote access to prevention, diagnosis and care.
GNA
Edited by Audrey Dekalu
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo
Email: [email protected]