Children with Type 1 diabetes are more likely to be hospitalized

Children with Type 1 diabetes are five times more likely to be admitted to a hospital than those without, according to a recent study.

The British study published in BMJ Open found that those with disadvantaged backgrounds were more at risk for hospital admission. There were also high admissions for people living in populated cities, which often have a higher proportion of fast food restaurants.

“Children with diabetes are at an unacceptably increased risk of being admitted to a hospital,” said John Gregory, professor and specialist in pediatric endocrinology at Cardiff University School of Medicine, in a news release.

Researchers studied 1,577 children up to 15 years old with newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes between 1999 and 2009. One in five children were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes before the age of 5, while two in five had been diagnosed after the age of 10.

“Based on this evidence, clinical services need to look at ways of supporting the care of those most at risk: the very young and those from poorer backgrounds,” Gregory said.

The number of new cases of childhood Type 1 diabetes has been rising steadily by around 3 to 4 percent, researchers noted.

In the U.S. alone, about 1.25 million children and adults have Type 1 diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, and about 5 percent of all cases of diabetes are Type 1.

It is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and common diabetic symptoms include urinating often, feeling thirsty, weight loss and extreme fatigue.

“In general, it is good to know your status whether you have diabetes, prediabetes or no diabetes,” says Dr. Niva Lubin-Johnson, general internist at Advocate Trinity Hospital in Chicago. “If you are diabetic, you have to make sure you are taking your medication, eating a proper diet and exercising on a regular basis. This can prevent complications in the future.”