Ahmedabad: Dr Manoj Agrawal, a paediatric and adolescent endocrinologist from Ahmedabad, noted that while diabetes is most commonly associated with Type 2 diabetes—which develops primarily because of insulin resistance often linked to lifestyle and genetic factors—there are distinct clinical variants affecting younger age groups.“Another major form is Type 1 diabetes, in which the body’s immune system mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. There is also maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), a rare hereditary form caused by a mutation in a single gene that affects insulin production by the pancreas. Identifying the exact type of diabetes is crucial, as treatment protocols differ significantly,” he said.“Greater public awareness and regular preventive health checks are helping us detect patients much earlier than before. We also urge parents and people to watch for early signs and consult a doctor promptly. In children, diabetes may present with unexplained weight gain or loss, recurrent urinary tract infections, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and other subtle symptoms,” he added.
