| Abstract |
According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 5 million Americans are affected by diabetes. Of this number, about 5%10% are children; that means that about 120,000 children are currently being treated. Diabetes has remained the fifth-leading cause of death through its long-term complications, which make it a major health problem in terms of its morbidity and mortality through microvasculature and microvasculature complications (Leslie & Sperling, 1986). According to Grey, Cameron, Lipman, and Thurber (1994), children with diabetes, under the current standards of care, can anticipate a life expectancy of 44 years if the diagnosis is made at age 10, compared with a life expectancy of 62 years for their peers. Usually, according to these authors, the early morbidity for juvenile diabetics is related to chronic hyperglycemia, which stems from poor control of blood glucose and leads to ketosis and systemic complications. Mismanagement or poor control of diabetes can lead to hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic episodes resulting in costs from hospitalization, lost parental income, and lost school days. These episodes also have implications for long-term sequelae resulting from fluctuations in glucose levels. Recent evidence has suggested that early and systematic intervention is highly effective in reaching optimal control, which may prevent long-term complications (Leslie & Sperling, 1986; Puczynski, Puczynski, & Ryan, 1992). Because this condition is lifelong, early control is crucial in establishing an effective program for prevention. |
