Millions around the World

to Recognize November 14

World Diabetes Day –

Year of the Child

Diabetes currently affects 246 million people globally, including nearly 21 million children and adults in the United States.  November has long been designated as National Diabetes

Awareness Month in the US. 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 on November 14 starting in 2007.

Diabetes currently affects 246 million people globally, including nearly

21 million children and adults in the United States.  November has long been designated as National Diabetes Awareness Month in the US.

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 on November 14 starting in 2007.

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 common chronic diseases of childhood.  It can strike children of any age, including pre-school children and even toddlers.  Yet diabetes in children is often diagnosed late, often when the child has diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) –a life threatening complication in patients with untreated diabetes mellitus (chronic high blood sugar or hyperglycemia) – or it is misdiagnosed completely.

“Diabetes has a unique impact on children and their families,” said California

Podiatric Medical Association President Ernest J. Hook, DPM, a podiatrist in private

practice in Folsom, CA.  “The daily life of children, which should be carefree and

filled with play, exploration and learning is continuously disrupted by the need to

monitor blood glucose levels, take medication, and balance the effect of activity andfood, which is even difficult for an adult.  Diabetes can interfere with the normal developmental tasks of childhood and adolescence, which include succeeding in school and transitioning to adulthood.”  To help the diabetic child and his/her familycope, and to ensure the best possible physical and emotion health of the child, Hook strongly recommends that medical care should be delivered by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professional with good working knowledge of pediatric issues and should include a:

• Primary Care Physician – A general practitioner to oversee and coordinate care.  When choosing a primary care doctor, be sure they have experience in managing diabetes and its symptoms. Sometimes a specialist that focuses their practice on diseases such as diabetes will be your primary physician. These specialists are known as endocrinologists.

• Podiatric Physician – A podiatrist (foot doctor) specializes in the treatment of the foot and ankle. Diabetes can limit or restrict nerve function and/or blood flow to the feet. Because of this, patients with diabetes can develop foot complications that if left untreated can lead to amputations. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of non-traumatic amputations in the world!
• Dentist - A dentist is a physician that specializes in care of the teeth and gums. Patients with diabetes are more susceptible to gum disease. Excess blood sugar in the mouth can help foster the growth of bacteria that may lead to an infection. Be sure to see your dentist every six months and make sure you tell them if you have diabetes.
• Ophthalmologist/Optometrist – Similar to how diabetes restricts blood flow to the feet, diabetes can also affect blood flow to the eyes and result in diabetic eye disease. This condition is highly preventable if the disease is managed properly. You should visit your eye doctor for an eye exam once a year.
• Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist – Maintaining a healthy weight and making wise food choices is essential to managing diabetes. A registered dietician is trained in nutrition and can help make diet recommendations based on one’s weight, lifestyle, medications and other health goals. Be sure to work with a dietician who has training and experience with diabetes.”

The California Podiatric Medical Association (CPMA) will join with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), American Diabetes Association (ADA), the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), and many other organizations to mark the day of recognition throughout the United States.

Ø       Thousands of Californians will join the millions of people worldwide who will use the day to raise awareness of diabetes and its serious complications. These include the formation of a human blue circle on the grounds of the United Nations - the blue circle is the global symbol for diabetes; a 246-step march from the UN down 1st Avenue in honor of people with diabetes worldwide; and a diabetes education rally that will include musical performances and celebrity appearances. As the sun sets on World Diabetes Day, over 120 iconic sites and buildings around the world will light up in blue to mark the day. Monuments in the US include the Empire State Building in New York, Sears Tower in Chicago, Prudential Tower in Boston, Los Angeles Airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Indianapolis, the Four Freedoms Monument in Evansville, San Francisco City Hall and Coit Tower in San Francisco, Qwest Stadium in Seattle and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield.

The California Podiatric Medical Association (CPMA) is the state’s leading professional medical organization for foot and ankle specialists and represents more than 1000 California doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs). Since 1912 CPMA has served the people of California by promoting the science and art of podiatric medicine, protecting the public health, and elevating the standards of medical education.