Kids and adolescents with type-1 diabetes are significantly at a higher risk for a lot of mental health issues – including anxiety disorders and depression, a recent study has revealed. According to the research conducted by the JDRF organization across the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic, there is a critical and urgent need for ongoing monitoring and care for the mental health of young individuals.

JDRF says there are more than 8.7 million people across the world with type 1 diabetes and over 4,00,000 in the UK alone. Also known as juvenile diabetes, type 1 is a chronic autoimmune disease that prevents your pancreas from making insulin. It requires daily management with insulin injections and blood sugar monitoring.

For the study published in Natural Mental Health, researchers collected data from over 4,500 children with type-1 diabetes on a national register in the Czech Republic and from large-scale European DNA studies.

Researchers said they found that children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes – compared to children without the condition – were over twice as likely to develop a mood disorder and more than 50 per cent are more likely to develop anxiety into their adulthood as well. They can also produce four times more behavioural syndromes including eating and sleep disorders.

However, researchers said these kids were at a much lower risk of developing psychotic disorders like schizophrenia or bipolar disorders.

Experts say since living with diabetes can be stressful, prolonged exposure can make you vulnerable to many mental health disorders. Also, the demands of managing blood sugar levels by tweaking diet, and physical standards can be debilitating for children. Regularly monitoring blood sugar levels and checking foods they cannot eat can often lead to these children feeling excluded from social events and singled out by peers, teachers, and even their family members.

“Although we found a concerning increase in the risk of mental health problems among people living with type 1 diabetes, our study – and others before it – suggests this is unlikely to be the result of common biological mechanisms. This emphasizes the importance of prevention and sustained attention to the mental health needs of children and young people with type 1 diabetes,” said Tomáš Formánek, a PhD student at the University of Cambridge and the National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.

“We know that people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes can experience ‘diabetes distress’. This can include extreme frustration with blood sugars and feelings of isolation and can lead to burnout, hopelessness, and a feeling of lack of control. It’s little wonder, then, that they are at risk of compounding mental health problems, spanning into their adult lives,” said Dr. Benjamin Perry from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge.

According to experts, a few ways you can help prevent mental health issues in these children are:

As a friend or family member, make sure the child knows that you understand how they are living their life with diabetes. Encourage them to be open about it and help them learn to manage the symptoms on their own.

Make sure to educate other friends, family, school administrators, and others about type-1 diabetes and your child's needs.

Always encourage your child to take part in various school activities and games along with support groups so that they do not feel left out.

If your child is grappling with anxiety and stress due to their medical condition, make sure to reach out to professional counselors to help them overcome the condition.