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There are many differences in diabetes care for children
and adolescents throughout Europe.
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"Access to treatment that allows more flexibility can really change your life"
(Christiane Bartos, mother of child with diabetes)
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Up to 50% of children with diabetes develop complications or co-morbidities, including cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, blindness and amputations later in life. Frequent episodes of low blood sugar (hypolycemia) may affect the cognitive function in young children and severe attacks are estimated to contribute to the higher mortality rate in children with diabetes than the general population. Another complication which can affect children is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which is a state of inadequate insulin levels resulting in high blood sugar and accumulation of organic acids and ketones in the blood. DKA is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children with type 1 diabetes but can be reduced by early diagnosis and optimal management. The economic effects of diabetes go beyound the costs of diagnosis, care and prevention and include loss of life, disability, the impact on quality of life on patients and their families as well as lost economic growth.
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Much can be done to prevent or delay the costly complications of diabetes,
if access to adequate care, medication and monitoring equipment exists.
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It is clear that care and treatment provided by specialised centres of reference can be a huge support. In order to reduce health inequalities and differences in outcomes, children across Europe should have the best possible care and treatment. A child diagnosed today can look forward to a cure for diabetes in their lifetime, provided that high level European research is strongly supported. They help children and their carers cope with diabetes, care should be delivered by a multidisciplinary team with good pediatric knowledge. Unfortunately specialised (multidisciplinary) care is not always available.
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Not every child with diabetes and its family has access to specialised care
and age appropriate education as needed.
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Diabetes education programmes aimed at healthcare professionals should therefore be developed. In order to improve self-management and to support the important role of carers, age-appropriate targeted information, education programmes, and tools should be developed and made easily accessible for children and their carers.
Unfortunately many countries in Europe do not have appropriate measures or regulation in place, enabling schools to support children with diabetes in the effective management of their condition.
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There is a strong and urgent need to improve the situation with respect
to children with diabetes in Europe.
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"A better world for children and adolescents with diabetes"
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This is the mission statement of the international Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD), supported by the International Diabetes Federation-European region (IDF-Europe). Only recently the European Commission has announced support for a joint European project of ISPAD, IDF Europe, FEND (Federation of European Nurses in Diabetes) and PCDE (Primary Care Diabetes Europe) named
S W E E T - Project (Better control in Pediatric and Adolescent diabetes: working to create Centres of Reference) Within a period of three years Centres of Reference for Pediatric Diabetes (CoR’s) will be defined leading to a development of a toolbox supporting their creation on a European level. By promoting networking and collaboration, this project will help to ♦ increase the awareness of all types of diabetes ♦ the prevention of delayed diagnosis ♦ reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by acute and chronic complications. |