P70.2: Neonatal diabetes mellitus

The body's cells need sugar to get energy. Sugar can be absorbed into the blood via food and the digestive system. Fluid and nutrients can also be administered directly into the blood vessels. The pancreas produces the messenger substance insulin. The pancreas is located in the upper abdomen. Insulin ensures that the sugar from the blood is absorbed into the cells. If the sugar content of the blood is too high, the pancreas releases more insulin into the blood. As a result, the sugar level in the blood then drops back.

Diabetes is also called diabetes mellitus. With diabetes, there may be too little insulin in the blood. It may also be that the insulin is not working as it normally does. If there is too little insulin in the blood, or if it is not working properly, the cells cannot absorb the sugar from the blood properly. The sugar content in the blood may then be persistently too high. If the cells cannot absorb the sugar properly, you will have too little energy as a result. The cells then use other substances to obtain energy. When these substances are broken down, acids result and make the blood too acidic.

With diabetes, the newborn baby might lose a lot of weight during the first days of its life. If the blood is too acidic, it can cause vomiting and abdominal pain. It may also cause loss of consciousness or seizures.