- It is the first space of its kind in Mexico that focuses on the care of children with type 1 diabetes.
- The place is located in Zapopan and in this first stage it will have 120 patients.
- It is expected that by 2023 it could increase its capacity to also receive adult patients.
Investment in health in our country remains quite low compared to what happens in other parts of the world. The number of spaces is insufficient to attend to all the patients who require it. While now there is good news because the first children’s center specialized in type 1 diabetes in Mexico.
This project was possible thanks to the support of the Mexican Association of Diabetes in Jalisco, AC The official name of the place is the Education and Care Center for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (D1A Center) and it is located in the municipality of Zapopan.
With the creation of this center, it is sought not only that it be unique in Latin America, but that it is accompanied by an initiative of the Law of Name Registration of People who live with Diabetes type 1 in the State of Jalisco. For now, the first activities for the start of registration have already begun.
For the headquarters of the D1A Center, the municipality of Zapopan donated the facilities, in addition to the support of the municipal government of Guadalajara.
During the inauguration, María Elena Mota, Director of the Mexican Association of Diabetes of Jalisco, AC, recalled that “in 2001, when I became president of the Mexican Association of Diabetes in Jalisco, AC, the first action I carried out was to request a good property to the State Government, Municipal Government, to the Ministry of Health, because one of my great dreams was to have a space where I could attend to people with Diabetes, especially children, since five years ago I had received the diagnosis of my little daughter and that marked my life”.
Services offered by the first children’s center specialized in type 1 diabetes in Mexico
After 21 years the project was finally completed. Now he plans to be the main support for all children and young people living with type 1 diabetes in Jalisco and also from other parts of Mexico.
In this first stage, diabetes care services will be provided to 120 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. All patients are from zero to 20 years of age.
By 2023, a second stage will be carried out, which includes care for adults with Diabetes type 1. It is important to highlight that care will be given to children and adolescents from Jalisco, with a view, in the future, to being able to extend it to municipalities in neighboring states.
The services consist of diabetes education accompanied by comprehensive care with supplies for diabetes care, such as test strips, lancets, meters, clinical studies, syringes, insulin. In addition, an alliance is being worked on with the Ministry of Health so that participants who do not have Social Security receive the necessary supplies.
To ensure the quality of the service, a bimonthly follow-up will be carried out with the participants of the D1A Center. At first, the appointments will be weekly, then fortnightly, then monthly, and when the boy or girl and their family are empowered and trained, the follow-up will be bimonthly.
To be a participant in the D1A Center, they must fill out a physical application by going to the center’s facilities and later the social work team will determine the assistance plan for the participant’s family.
What are the symptoms of type 1 diabetes?
Although it is often thought that diabetes mellitus is the only one that exists, in reality it is not. Type 1, previously known as “juvenile diabetes”, is a chronic disorder in which the pancreas produces very little insulin or not at all.
It usually occurs during the first years of the patient’s life and To date there is no cure. Therefore, each person should start a treatment and should never stop it because it can be fatal. The first warning signs are:
- Increased thirst.
- Need to urinate often.
- Urinary incontinence in children who previously did not wet the bed at night.
- Extreme hunger.
- Unintentional weight loss.
- Irritability and other mood swings.
- Fatigue and weakness.
- Blurry vision.