Pediatrics Endocrinology and Diabetes Consultant, Dr. Badi AL-Enazy, has indicated that the most significant problems facing children with diabetes in summer and during travelling are the low blood sugar levels resulting from gastroenteritis, missing doses of insulin for going to bed late, in addition to avoiding testing blood glucose regularly, not adopting a healthy diabetic diet and not consulting the specialized physician regularly.
Regarding the most important advices to be followed up by parents of children with diabetes particularly in summer, Dr Al-Enazy explained that this includes monitoring blood glucose three times a day, adjusting the insulin dose according to the glucose level, adopting a healthy diabetic diet, starting an exercise program such as walking, consulting the specialized physician regularly and keeping following up with a diabetes and nutrition professional at a nutrition clinic.
On the most significant precautions necessary for diabetics before travelling, Dr. AL-Enazy said that they must carry with them a sufficient amount of insulin, glucose meter, syringes, insulin pen needles and swabs, besides registering the insulin type and dose as the patient might need to purchase a dose. The diabetic should be also aware of the closest hospital and pharmacy and keep insulin in a cold and dry place away from sunlight and luggage, i.e. the patient may use a small bag for the insulin.
This came while hosting of Dr. Badi AL-Enazy, the Pediatrics Endocrinology and Diabetes Consultant, at the National Center for Media and Health Awareness of the Ministry of Health (MOH) via the center's toll free number: 8002494444 and the Ministry's Twitter account: @saudimoh; to answer inquiries of callers regarding diabetes among children, particularly in the summer vacation and during travelling.
Answering a question about whether there is a hope of recovery for children from diabetes, Dr. Al-Enazi underscored that children with type 1 diabetes need to use insulin doses for the rest of their life as their insulin-producing beta cells have been totally damaged so they must get adapted to the disease.
"Beta cells or pancreas transplantation is still in the stage of scientific research, and the majority of those who had undergone such type of surgeries have reportedly used insulin after a couple of years. In the same time, the immunosuppressive medicines are causing an increase in the level of blood sugar," he elaborated.
Responding to a question about the importance of the regular follow-ups with physicians, Dr. Al-Enazy has underlined that the diabetic needs to visit the specialized physician every two or three months. In each visit, he needs to measure his weight, length and blood pressure, check the insulin injection sites in addition to making the necessary analyses of cumulative blood sugar.
It's noteworthy that the Media and Health Awareness Information Center will host Ph. Amal bint Ma'wia Abu Al-Jadayel, on Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; in order to raise awareness on avoiding infectious diseases. While from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., the Center will host Ms. Maha Al-Assaf, the nutrition specialist, in order to answer callers' queries on nutrition via the same toll free number and twitter account mentioned above.