Type 1 diabetes confronts children and their parents with a number of questions and concerns. What is this going to mean for my child's health? What are the long term effects of the disease? What can be done to prevent some of these complications? Is there anything besides insulin that is lacking in the child's body?
Your child has every opportunity to live a long and fulfilling life, it’s important to learn how to manage the disease. The long term affects of the disease are dependent on controlling blood glucose levels and maintaining tight controls around diet and exercise. The affects can be devastating if these controls are not put in place and the disease is left unchecked. Over many years when diabetes is not treated, illness can include blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, bone density loss and amputation.
Type 1 diabetic children are found to be lacking Vitamin D. So it is more important than ever to take your vitamins, get some sun and eat some fish!
The Research
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, 75% of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes have insufficient levels of vitamin D. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently issued a recommendation that all children should double their vitamin D intake which leads us to believe that overall health can benefit from increased levels of vitamin D.
One of the complications with type 1 diabetes is decreased bone density. In a study published by the American Diabetes Association it was found that young women especially were subject to depleted bone density over time. As children with type 1 diabetes get older, they are more likely to have osteoporosis.
And according to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D levels are the worst in adolescents. So how can you boost your child's vitamin D?
Where Do You Get It
The best source of vitamin D is the sun. So grab your shades and catch some rays! It shouldn't be too tough to convince your kids to get out in the sun, spend a day by the pool, hang out on the beach play outside. Diet is the next best thing. Vitamin D fortified milk is forgone in lieu of diet soda during the teen years. Reintroduce it to the breakfast table and stress the importance. Also fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel are good sources as well as fish oils like cod liver oil. Find foods your children will enjoy. By monitoring vitamin D levels and decreasing the risk of some complications will insure your child's long and healthy life.
