Type 1 Diabetes Awareness
WARNING SIGNS OF TYPE 1 DIABETES
Recognizing the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes is critical. Although Type 1 develops gradually, as the body’s insulin production decreases, blood glucose levels can become dangerously high once insulin production is outpaced. Symptoms may develop rapidly and can be mistaken for other illnesses such as the flu, even by doctors. A misdiagnosis can have tragic consequences.
4Ts of Type 1 Diabetes
The 4Ts of type 1 diabetes are the 4 major symptoms which can be used to spot whether you or someone else may be suffering from undiagnosed type 1 diabetes.
Toilet
Needing to visit the toilet more often than usual, going during the night when you usually don’t or having very short breaks between going to the toilet are all part of one of the main symptoms of type 1 diabetes. If a child starts to regularly wet the bed, having not wet the bed for some time, it could also indicate a sign of diabetes.
Thirsty
We all get thirsty from time but thirst can be a symptom of type 1 diabetes. Some signs of unusual thirst may include:
– Regularly getting up to drink during the night
– Drinking a full glass or bottle of liquid and still being very thirsty
– Having only gaps between bouts of thirst
Tired
When the body lacks insulin, as happens in type 1 diabetes, cells of the body cannot take in glucose from the blood for energy which can leave the body tired and unnourished. Tiredness in type 1 diabetes may be spotted if someone who is usually active starts finding physical activity particularly difficult to carry out.
Thinner
A lack of insulin means the body cannot get enough glucose from the blood into cells and so the body starts to break down fat and muscle into ketones to use as energy.
WHAT TO DO
If you recognize any of the symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. A simple in-office test for sugar in the urine is used for diagnosis. If that test is positive, then a drop of blood from the fingertip will confirm diabetes. Every day, thousands of adults and children around the world are diagnosed, but many go undetected. Early diagnosis cannot prevent Type 1, but it can head off potentially devastating, even fatal, health concerns.
Feel free to print the PDFs posters below to help raise Type 1 Diabetes Awareness in your local schools and community. The first poster is designed for a school setting and second poster can be used in any other location (i.e. doctors office, break room at work, etc.)
PPODS Magnet Pediatrician Poster
