The Sweet Life Diabetes Community are using World Diabetes Day to raise awareness for detecting type 1 in children – they encourage supporters to wear blue.
South Africa (08 November 2021) – Type 1 diabetes symptoms are easy to miss in children. That’s why Sweet Life Diabetes Community has launched the Wear Blue for Diabetes campaign this November.
Do you know the 5 common symptoms of diabetes? Would you know what to look for in a child with Type 1 diabetes? For most parents (and many teachers), the answer is no. But Sweet Life is looking to change that this year with #WearBlueForDiabetes.
The concept is simple: ask schools (and workplaces!) to wear blue for diabetes on Friday 12th November, ahead of World Diabetes Day on Sunday 14th November, and equip them with all the tools they need to raise awareness about diabetes leading up to the day.
While Type 2 diabetes is most commonly seen in adults, Type 1 diabetes (which used to be called juvenile diabetes) is often diagnosed in children. Awareness of the 5 common symptoms can help children to be diagnosed earlier – and keep them from scary hospital emergencies.
The 5 common symptoms of diabetes
- Extreme thirst
- Needing to pee a lot, especially at night
- Extreme hunger
- Exhaustion
- Blurry vision
To help aid parents and children leading up to World Diabetes Day, they have created several resources to help. They have a Type 1 diabetes story by South Africa’s favourite storyteller, Gcina Mhlophe, in video and voice note format. (Watch it here!).
Sweet Life also provides printable posters which can be placed in classrooms; the posters explain the common symptoms of Type 1 diabetes in this easily printable format. Youth With Diabetes created a teacher’s guide and shared all the information teachers need about diabetes.
Get all of these resources – and more – at www.sweetlife.org.za/wear-blue-for-diabetes
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