Children hit most with epilepsy as a result of type 1 diabetes

Emobileclinic Researchers’corner

Emobileclinic Reporter: Dr. Tomi Orungbe

According to WHO the complications of diabetes can lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and lower limb amputation. Another study published on Diabetologia has included epilepsy in the list of the effects. According to the lead author,Dr. I-Ching Chou of China Medical University’s Children’s Hospital in Taichung, Taiwan, the risk of epilepsy is about three times higher among adults with diabetes type 1 and about 16 times higher among affected children.

The researchers came to this conclusion after careful study of 2,568 patients affected with diabetes type 1 and 26,000 type 2 diabetes and in addition, ten people without diabetes. The researchers observed that  brain damage played an important role as ”metabolic abnormalities of type 1 diabetes, such as hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia, may have a damaging effect on the central nervous system and be associated with significant long-term neurological sequelae.”

 Type 1 diabetes is known for deficient insulin production and requires daily administration of insulin . The cause of type 1 diabetes is not known and it is not preventable with current knowledge. Symptoms include excessive excretion of urine (polyuria), thirst (polydipsia), constant hunger, weight loss, vision changes and fatigue. These symptoms may occur suddenly.
The study further reconfirm that low and high blood sugar of adult can result in a seizures. The risk in the study is 16.5% high among kids. The study also observed that children with intellectual disabilities, who had not experience any seizures before are more likely to have epileptic episode later.
It is very important for parent to take adequate measure in ensuring that their children’s diet are healthy.
The maximum daily sugar intake for the kids is 19 grams equivalent of 5 tea spoon.