NHS must act to reduce rising child diabetes, charity warns

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The NHS must act to reduce the number of youngsters admitted to hospital with diabetes, a charity warned.

Diabetes UK said yesterday that levels of Type 1 diabetes among British children are the highest in Europe.

More than 3,300 children – a quarter of all cases – were admitted to A&E with high blood glucose between April 2006 and March last year, the latest figures show.

Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, usually develops in adolescence and differs to Type 2, which is linked to lifestyle factors like obesity.

Children and young people under 18 made up over a quarter of 12,326 emergency admissions for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) from April 2006 to March 2007, figures reveal.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) occurs when blood glucose levels are high. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, rapid breathing and stomach pain. In some cases, it may lead to coma.

Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: 'The number of children being rushed to A&E with such a life-threatening complication (as DKA) is shocking.

'With increased awareness and education and more investment from the NHS in special paediatric diabetes care, the number of emergency admissions could be dramatically reduced.

A Department of Health spokesman said that a working group was set up in October 2005 to address the issue.