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Further information for parents
Further information for parents

What is diabetes?

Diabetes means that your PANCREAS does not make enough INSULIN. The Pancrease is a gland in your body. Sugar is a fuel used by the body to give you energy and make you feel well. The main sugar in the body is GLUCOSE. Glucose needs to get into the cells in your body to give you energy.

Insulin is like a key (click to see animation); it opens the door to the cells in your body and allows the glucose to enter. So, insulin lowers the level of glucose in your bloodstream.

Insulin is like a keyx

When you have diabetes your body doesn't make enough insulin, so glucose can't get into the cells. Instead it collects in your blood and isn't turned into energy. As more and more glucose builds up, your body gets rid of some in your wee (urine). This makes you need to go to the toilet more often, you feel thirsty, you lose weight and you feel tired.

Once it has been discovered that you have diabetes, insulin replacement will be started by giving injections. It may sound scary, but the good news is that you will start to feel well again because the injections will lower your blood glucose, by allowing the sugar to get into the cells.

Where is the pancreas?
For Parents

For Parents

Helpful information for parents who have children with diabetes Find out how and where you can get support, click here

Katherine's Story

Katherine's Story

Climbing Kilimanjaro was something I had always wanted to do. At 5,895m, it was not only the highest point in Africa but also the highest freestanding mountain in the world!! However having had diabetes since the age of 10, I thought it was something I could only dream of.

Around the World with Diabetes

Around the World with Diabetes

Maëlle Bocher from France is an extraordinary twelve-year-old with diabetes. Maëlle was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes aged five. In January 2006, Maëlle and her family embarked on an exciting sailing journey around the world.

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