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- "Doubled in 10 years": the doctor spoke about the increase in cases of diabetes in children
"Doubled in 10 years": the doctor spoke about the increase in cases of diabetes in children
The number of children with diabetes is growing in Russia: it has doubled in 10 years. However, the growth is largely due to improved diagnosis, which makes it possible to detect the disease at an early stage. Izvestia found out how modern technologies make it possible to control and treat a dangerous disease and by what symptoms it can be suspected in a child.
The increase in morbidity
The number of children with type 1 diabetes is growing in Russia. Over the past 10 years, it has doubled, said Elena Demina, head of the endocrinology department of the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital (RDCB), Candidate of Medical Sciences, in an interview with Izvestia.
In 2014, 32,000 children were diagnosed with diabetes, and in 2024— more than 61,000. In total, according to the latest data, 300 thousand people have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in Russia. The disease is recognized as socially significant, after diagnosis, children have the opportunity to register a disability without the need for a medical examination until the age of 18.
According to the doctor, the increase in morbidity is primarily associated with an improvement in the quality of diagnosis in the early stages. Until a few years ago, its level was significantly lower, and patients had to pierce their fingers to measure blood glucose levels six to eight times a day. However, there has now been a significant breakthrough in the Russian market, which has changed the approach to treatment.
— Type 1 diabetes is an incurable disease. But effective tools have emerged that can significantly improve the quality of life of sick children and adults. Technology makes the process of blood glucose control easier and more efficient," says Demina.
Diabetes in children
Type 1 diabetes is a severe autoimmune disease, says the head of the endocrinology department of the RDCB. It occurs when the human immune system destroys the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. This protein is needed by cells so that they can digest sugar from food. Without insulin, blood sugar levels rise to life-threatening levels. Therefore, such people are forced to inject themselves throughout their lives.
The causes of diabetes are not fully understood, but it is believed that a combination of genetic and immunological factors leads to it. These include a family history and certain diseases. Modern medicine refers to them the Coxsackie virus, mumps, rubella and cytamegalovirus. These infections can stimulate the immune system to attack the pancreas or directly damage beta cells.
In children, the disease is usually diagnosed before the age of 14, but sometimes it is detected later. Like adults, they complain of typical symptoms: constant hunger and thirst, severe weakness, fatigue, frequent urination. If these complaints occur, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Market breakthrough
In recent years, significant progress has been made in the Russian market, as a result of which the approach to the treatment of diabetes mellitus has changed. It has become easier to diagnose and control the disease, Elena Demina tells Izvestia. A breakthrough in research has occurred due to the advent of continuous glucose monitoring (SNMG) systems. They measure glucose levels in human subcutaneous fluid every 1-5 minutes. Miniature sensors are attached to the body (most often to the shoulder or abdomen) and transmit data to the patient's smartphone, saving him from the constant need to puncture his finger.
At the same time, both systems with a disposable sensor and models with reusable transmitters are available. Some devices require calibration (entering readings from a blood glucose meter), while others work without it. Such monitoring allows doctors to get a complete picture of the dynamics of glycemia and adjust treatment more accurately through visual graphs.
— SNMGS play a key role in correcting insulin therapy for type 1 diabetes: they monitor not only glucose levels, but also the tendency of its changes. Warning signals about an increase or decrease in glucose help to avoid the danger of hyper- and hypoglycemia," explains Elena Demina.
Before using the devices, the doctor recommends making sure that they are reliable: check whether they have passed clinical trials.
— Devices imported to the market from abroad must undergo post-registration testing in Russia. Such tests are carried out by various medical institutions, including the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital," adds the Izvestia interlocutor.
She calls pump insulin therapy another important control method, which provides blood sugar control in diabetic patients. The pump allows you to inject insulin in very small doses, which significantly reduces the number of injections that patients had to constantly do when using pen syringes.
The head of the endocrinology department of the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital predicts further development of technologies, including the spread of "smart" insulin, which was developed last year by an international group of scientists. It is at rest in the body and begins to act only when sugar increases.
Family history
Alexey Schmidt, a father of two children with diabetes, told Izvestia about the help of new technologies in the treatment of the disease in children. His sons were diagnosed with the disease, the youngest was only two years old at the time. The boy lost weight dramatically, he had drowsiness and frequent trips to the toilet. An urgent blood test confirmed the terrible diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in the stage of ketoacidosis, an acute metabolic complication that, without timely treatment, can lead to coma.
"That day was etched into my memory: the doctor's voice, the dry conclusion, the sky—high indicators – and the complete feeling that life had stopped," Alexey recalls.
According to him, the first weeks after the diagnosis were the most difficult: constant monitoring of glucose levels, counting carbohydrate units, and fear for his son's health. Over time, the family learned to live with the disease, moving from simple glucose meters to more modern monitoring systems. Thanks to the registration of disability, Artyom received the right to use technology for free.
Last fall, history repeated itself: the eldest son, 14-year-old Elisha, was diagnosed with diabetes. Despite the repeated blow, the family already knew how to act.
— My sons use a modern system that has a reusable transmitter. Now we monitor sugar levels through a mobile app, which significantly reduces our anxiety about children's health," says Alexey.
In addition, he notes, the change in the level can also be seen by school health workers — this is important for them, since there are five children with diabetes in the educational institution. Helping with sudden changes in blood sugar levels has become easier, as well as controlling the disease in general.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
