Health Issues affecting young children

Objectives  What is diabetes?  What are the signs/symptoms?  How is diabetes managed?  What teaching modifications can be made in the classroom?  How can diabetes be addressed in the classroom?

Statistics

Statistics (cont.) Type 2 diabetes could soon reach epidemic proportions in children because it is often associated with obesity.

Overview  Two types of diabetes are Type 1 & Type 2  Diabetes is a disease where the body does not produce or properly use insulin.  Insulin, a hormone, is necessary to metabolize carbohydrates and to store and release glucose.  The onset of diabetes in children is often occurs abruptly.

Type 1  The pancreas fails to produce an adequate amount of insulin.  Chronic, incurable, and often hereditary

Type 2  The pancreas does not produce a sufficient amount of insulin.  Or the cells in the body are not able to use the insulin properly.  Often referred to as adult-onset diabetes.

Symptoms  Rapid weight loss  Fatigue and/or weakness  Nausea or vomiting  Frequent urination  Dehydration  Excessive thirst and/or hunger  Dry, itchy skin  May have mild symptoms or none at all

Management

Type 1  Must have insulin injections many times a day  Have glucose levels checked  Closely regulate diet/activity  The use of an insulin pump eliminates the need for injections.

Type 2  May require insulin injections  Or regulated through careful dietary management and/or medications to help the body utilize glucose

Teacher Modifications  Meet with families of children with health issues:  To get valuable information about child’s condition and how to identify changes in behavior and appearance.  To determine dietary restrictions and medical procedures to be followed.  To make plans for handling medical emergencies.

How to address to the class  Have a general class with health conditions your students may have.  Use simple terms and teach not to be ashamed, embarrassed, or afraid.  Do not mention a specific child.  Go over healthy eating habits and the correlation between healthy eating habits and feeling well.  Provide opportunities for building self- esteem. Health Issues

We discovered  The health condition diabetes.  The symptoms of diabetes.  The management of diabetes.  How to modify the classroom for children with this health condition.  How to address this health condition to the class.

References Marotz, Lynn R. (2009). Conditions affecting children’s health. Health, safety, and nutrition for the young child (pp ). Clifton Park, NY: Delmar. (2010, March 12). Children and diabetes. Retrieved from 2.htm 2.htm