Type 1 diabetes in infants, toddlers brings unique challenges

A Type 1 diabetes diagnosis is rare in young children and even less common in infants. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 22 out of every 100,000 children are diagnosed each year, with most cases occurring later in childhood.

For parents, the learning curve can be steep. “We tell parents to take it one day at a time, one meal at a time, one fingerstick and shot at a time,” said Sara Cartee, diabetes educator at Children’s of Mississippi. “It can feel overwhelming, but breaking it down makes it much more manageable.”

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, said Dr. Anju Sukumaran, pediatric endocrinologist at Children’s of Mississippi. “Some parents may believe that their child has developed Type 1 diabetes due to food intake or physical lifestyle, but this is not the case,” she said.

Sukumaran said early symptoms in infants and toddlers can be easy to miss.

“The most common symptoms are when a child starts exhibiting increased thirst, urination and appetite but is steadily losing weight,” Sukumaran said.

In young children, those signs can appear as excess diapers, increased drinking, fatigue or symptoms that follow a recent illness. Managing the condition in very young children often requires adjusting typical guidance to fit their size, growth and development.

That constant vigilance can be especially difficult in the early months after diagnosis.

“You never sleep well again as a parent,” Cartee said. “There is always that worry about lows in the middle of the night.”

In addition to the physical demands, families often face emotional challenges as they adjust to a new reality.

“Parents experience grief,” Cartee said. “They grieve the life they used to have, where they didn’t have to think about blood sugar or insulin all the time.”

She said many families also encounter misconceptions about the condition.

“Nobody understands what this is like,” Cartee said. “Parents hear things like, ‘just eat a low-carb diet’ or ‘that’s too much insulin,’ but Type 1 diabetes is much more complex than that.” 

Despite those challenges, Cartee emphasizes that children diagnosed at a young age can still live full, active lives. 

“There is no food that is off limits,” she said. “They can still eat their favorite foods — you just count the carbs and give insulin to match it.”

She encourages families to focus on the child, not the diagnosis. 

“At the end of the day, the child is not a diabetic,” Cartee said. “The child is who they are — what they love, what they enjoy and what they dream about. Diabetes is just one part of their life.”

Cartee also reminds parents that they are not alone.

“So many other parents are walking this road,” she said. “Getting connected to a community can be incredibly empowering.”

While the diagnosis can feel overwhelming, advances in care are helping families manage the condition.

“We live in a decade where continuous glucose monitoring devices and insulin pumps are highly efficient managing technologies,” Sukumaran said.

To make an appointment with Children’s of Mississippi endocrinology, call 601-984-5216, or click here.
 

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