Mellitus Diabetes Rate In Children Increases Drastically, Access To Health Services Needs To Be Improved

JAKARTA The number of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) cases in Indonesian children has increased dramatically. Screening can help children with this disease live a more normal life.

In the past decade, the number of type 1 DM cases in Indonesian children has reached 1,948 people. Meanwhile, data from the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) shows that the prevalence of diabetes in children in Indonesia reached two cases per 100 thousand people in January 2023, or an increase of 70 times compared to 2010.

"Children can get diabetes mellitus or diabetes, what is often found is with type 1, DM where there is a lack of insulin," said Dr. dr. Nur Rochmah, Sp.A, Subsp. Endo(K) from the Endocrinology Coordination Unit of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association in a seminar on the management of DM 1 in children.

However, Nur Rochmah said that the disease that attacks insulin production is often only detected when children experience an emergency. This is what makes DM 1 cases in children in Indonesia soar. Doctor Nur Rochmah emphasized that parents must be able to recognize their symptoms, so that children and adolescents with DM1 can live longer and optimally.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus cases in children in Indonesia continue to increase. Doctor Nur Rochmah said the number of type 1 DM incidents in children was recorded to have jumped from 3.88 per 100,000 in 2000 to 28.19 per 100,000 in 2010.

"For new type 1 DM data in Indonesia, in 2022 there are 584 patients, in 2023 there will be an additional 594, so we will get around 1,178," he explained.

"In 2024, there will be an additional 527 patients, so we will get a total of 1,948 child patients with type 1 DM," dr. Nur added.

He further said that 58 percent of type 1 diabetes mellitus cases were found in girls and 42 percent were found in boys.

But unfortunately, there are still many cases of type 1 DM that are not diagnosed or have misdiagnosed, as stated by the Head of the Center for the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) Piprim Basarah Yanuarso.

"So, the children who detected diabetes were in a very severe condition, usually due to a coma, they entered due to ketoacidosis, then they were caught," said dr. Piprim.

He emphasized the importance of screening to detect early type 1 diabetes mellitus and improve diabetes treatment services in children.

Dibetes mellitus type 1 is more common in children, especially those aged 7 to 12 years. But that doesn't mean type 2 diabetes can't hit children.

Doctor Nur Rochmah said, type 1 DM in children occurs because the pancreas cannot produce or can only produce very little insulin, a hormone that helps blood sugar enter the body's cells to be used as energy.

Without insulin, blood sugar cannot enter body cells and accumulate in the bloodstream. High glucose levels in the blood can cause various health problems.

"What is often found in children is type 1 DM, this is a damage to the insulin factory. So children will need to use insulin for the rest of their lives," said doctor Nur.

Until now, the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not known. However, a number of children who have type 1 diabetes appear due to a weak immune system or autoimmune. This makes bacteria and viruses and even immune cells attack cells that produce insulin in the pancreas.

Doctor Nur Rochman said that clinical symptoms that are often reported in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus include eating and drinking a lot due to excessive thirst and hunger. However, despite eating a lot, those who have type 1 DM will experience weight loss because the body cannot absorb blood sugar in the body. This makes muscle tissue and fat reserves shrink so that they lose weight.

"We need to be aware of children with symptoms, eat a lot, drink a lot, lose weight, and on blood sugar tests they get more than 200," he said.

Children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus during their lifetime need insulin injections. Therefore, access to type 1 DM handling services in children in the regions needs to be improved.

In addition, Doctor Nur conveyed the importance of joint efforts with the government, health workers, the community, and family in an effort to reduce morbidity and mortality due to type 1 DM disease.

According to him, these efforts could include increasing counseling on diabetes mellitus, examining blood sugar levels, and campaigning for implementing a healthy lifestyle.