The theme of this year's World Diabetes Day campaign is Diabetes in Children and Adolescents.

World Diabetes Day - Year of the Child

Celebrate the first United Nations observed World Diabetes Day

On December 20 2006, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed a landmark Resolution recognizing diabetes as a chronic, debilitating and costly disease. The Resolution designates World Diabetes Day as a United Nations Day to be observed every year starting in 2007.

The UN Resolution makes World Diabetes Day stronger than ever and provides the opportunity for a significant increase in the visibility of the campaign and an increase in government and media participation on or around November 14. The Resolution will ensure even greater reach for awareness-raising activities throughout the diabetes world.

Diabetes in Children and Adolescents

The theme of this year's World Diabetes Day campaign is Diabetes in Children and Adolescents.

Diabetes is one of the most chronic diseases of childhood. It can strike children of any age including infants and toddlers. World Diabetes Day focuses on children and adolescents to raise awareness of the diabetes and its impact on children. Every child has a right to a long and healthy life.

• No child should die of diabetes

• More than 200 children get diabetes every day

• Diabetes is different for children

• Care for children is best when a multidisciplinary approach is adopted involving health professionals from all areas that concern children.

• Diabetes hits the poorest hardest.

• A child's access to appropriate medication and care should be a right not a privilege.

• Diabetes costs more than money.

• Over 50% of type 2 diabetes can be prevented.

• All diabetes is on the rise in children.

• Children die because their families cannot afford the medication they need

The World Diabetes Day campaign in 2007 and 2008 aims to:

• Increase the number of children supported by the IDF Life for a Child Program

• Raise Awareness of the warning signs of diabetes

• Encourage initiatives to  reduce diabetic ketoacidosis and distribute materials to support these initiatives

• Promote healthy lifestyles to help prevent type 2 diabetes in children

Diabetes is different for children

Diabetes has a unique impact on children and their families. The daily life of children is disrupted by the need to monitor blood glucose levels, take medication, and balance the effect of activity and food. Diabetes can interfere with the normal developmental tasks of childhood and adolescence, which include succeeding in school and transitioning to adulthood. To help the child and family cope, and to ensure the best possible physical and emotional health of the child, care should be delivered by a multidisciplinary team with good knowledge of paediatrics issues. Support must also be given to caregivers and to school personnel. In this way, children with type 1 or type 2 diabetes can reach adulthood with as little adverse impact as possible on their well-being. For children with diabetes in developing countries the situation at present is bleak.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the rising prevalence of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents. Early diagnosis and early education are crucial to reducing complications and saving lives. The health care community, educators, parents and guardians must join forces to help children living with diabetes, prevent the condition in those at risk, and avoid unnecessary death and disability.

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Dr Marwah