The CNMI Diabetes Prevention and Control Program said a steady increase in type 2 diabetes in children has been noted in the past years, a case which used to be seen only in adults before.
Diabetes happens when your body loses its ability to control the amount of sugar in the blood. When the blood sugar level gets very high or very low, it can cause damage to body organs and other serious problems if not treated early.
The alarming thing is you may have diabetes and not know it. Type 2 diabetes oftentimes have no signs but some children may experience dark patches of skin on their neck or underarm — a patch that could often look like dirt on the skin, eat or drink more than what their usual intake, urinate more often, easily gets tired, wounds heal very slowly, and have recurring infections.
Children who are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes are those who are overweight, not very active, kids whose families have diabetes, and kids with high blood pressure or high cholesterol. More girls than boys also develop type 2 diabetes in childhood. If you think your child is at risk for diabetes, see your doctor immediately.
Parents can reduce the risk of their children from developing diabetes by urging them to engage in more physical activities such as one hour a day, reduce the amount of rice they take in and eat more fruit, vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, foods that healthy and low in fat. Parents can also serve the food in smaller portions.
“If you think that the fatter your kids are, the healthier they are, this is a myth. A healthy child is one who eats a balanced diet, stays physically active and gets enough sleep,” the program stated.
The CNMI Diabetes Prevention and Control Program offers free blood pressure and blood sugar health screening every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Oleai Pavilion on Beach Road in Susupe. For more information, call 236-8715/6 or 236-8724.
