There are an estimated 1,25,000 children and young adults with Type 1 Diabetes in India. And there is little awareness about this auto immune disease. On UN Parent’s Day, former cricketer and all round gentleman Anil Kumble wants you to pay attention to the plight of these children. As a spokesperson with ‘Novo Nordisk Education Foundation,’ he says,
Listing type 1 diabetes in the Disability Act will help these 125000 children get access to care.Anil Kumble, Former Cricketer
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic; T-cell mediated autoimmune disease. According to an article published in Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, T1DM is primarily caused by genetic factors, environmental factors, and disorder of the immune regulatory mechanism. A combination of all these three factors causes autoimmune disease, which may ultimately result in the destruction of pancreatic beta cells leading to hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis and potentially death.
Doctors say children with Type 1 Diabetes cannot survive without external insulin. That means a life time of insulin shots multiple times a day. Insulin is usually delivered via injections or insulin pumps.
Parents of these children have to constantly monitor the child’s blood glucose and keep track of there physical activity and carbohydrate intake to decide on the insulin dose given.
Despite being the most common chronic disease in children and adolescents, T1DM does not receive the attention it requires. Many children die of undiagnosed diabetes or shortly after diagnosis because of poor blood sugar control.
The out-of-pocket nature of payment in India, for a lifelong disorder, places a huge financial burden on economically backward households. As such, this disorder can push many families further into poverty.
If Type 1 diabetes were to be listed in the Disability Act, it would help in getting care for all children.
It is not a disease that is between the child and the doctor; the whole family needs to be actively involved. The role of parents in giving children the confidence to manage themselves well needs to be appreciated.
(This story was auto-published from a syndicated feed. No part of the story has been edited by The Quint.)
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