Kiambu residents have been urged to go for diabetes type one checkup to curb the rampant deaths caused by the disease as many people are not aware of the signs and symptoms.
According to the Senior Medical Superintendent at Kiambu Level Four Hospital Dr David Kariuki, diabetes type one is mostly diagnosed in children and young adults bit it can also attack at any age.
Dr Kariuki said patients suffering from the disease experience excessive thirst which occurs as a result of high blood sugar levels in the patient or those yet to be diagnosed with the disease as it is one of the major symptoms.
He said frequent urination and wetting of the bed in a child who has previously had good bladder control was also a symptom, adding that the frequent urination was also experienced in type two diabetes and can cause severe dehydration which may result to death.
The medical superintendent said people who develop type one diabetes can lose weight despite having a normal or increased appetite, but once diagnosed and treated, their weight returns to normal, and in some cases, the body’s ability to control blood sugar may even return to normal.
The doctor added that patients might experience other symptoms like extreme fatigue even though they haven’t worked. He said that a fruity odour on the breath is enough sign of diabetes type one.
“There is no way to prevent the disease but people with it can delay the development of complications by keeping their blood sugar in a target range and by going for regular checkups to detect early signs of complications,” said Dr Kariuki.
He said that if the complications are treated early, the damage may be stopped, slowed or possibly reversed adding that if left untreated, the high level of sugar can damage the kidneys, eyes, nerves and the heart and can also lead to death.