What next for child diabetes?
Inequalities in diabetes care mean that young patients are not getting access to technologies and health checks that could improve their outcomes.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has published its National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA) for 2016/17. The report covers children and young people under a paediatric diabetes unit (PDU) in England and Wales.
The national press has focussed mainly on rising numbers of diabetes type II diagnoses in people under the age of 25, and on the link with obesity. There are currently 715 young people being treated for type II in England and Wales. Of these, 172 were diagnosed in 2016/17, an increase of 77 from 2015/16. There were higher rates of type II diagnoses among women and girls, those of non-white ethnicity and young people living in deprived areas.
The report also noted that children with type II diabetes were less likely to receive structured education about their condition.
The report calls on commissioners and care providers to ensure children get their essential health checks and that they engage with patient education.
Further information
BBC News: Rise in type 2 diabetes in young people in England and Wales
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health: National Paediatrics Diabetes Audit