N. Bratina
Klinični oddelek za endokrinologijo, diabetes in presnovne bolezni, Pediatrična klinika, Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenija
B. Murn Berkopec
Klinični oddelek za endokrinologijo, diabetes in presnovne bolezni, Pediatrična klinika, Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenija
T. Battelino
Katedra za pediatrijo, Medicinska fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani, Ljubljana, Slovenija
Abstract
Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting mainly young people – two-thirds of the patients are diagnosed below the age of 18 years. In the last 50 years, an increase in the incidence of type 1 diabetes has been reported all over the world, reaching an increase of 4% per year in recent decades. Epidemiological studies from Europe and the rest of the world report an even faster rise of more than 7% per year in children under the age of 5 years. A similar trend is observed in Slovenia, where the number of newly diagnosed children doubles every 17 years and there is an annual increase in incidence of 3.77%. Over the last 12 years, this has risen to 6% per year in children younger than 5 years of age.
In the last 25 years, rapid and intensive changes in diabetes treatment have been observed. New insulins, insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring systems have changed the goals for metabolic control in children and adolescents with diabetes. Closed loop research (automatic glycaemic control with the help of computer technology) is now opening up new possibilities in diabetes treatment. In addition to technology, structured education, which is immediately offered to the family of a child with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes and is continued in the following years, is the key to a better disease out-come after years of insulin treatment. The goals for education and diabetes treatment are adapted individu-ally to the child and the family according to the child’s age and any additional problems.
Key words: type 1 diabetes, children, adolescents, education.