“Hello. I have a few questions and would like to ask for your advice. Specifically, I’d like to know your opinion on the medication Otelixizumb, what the Freestyle Libre device is like, and finally, how many carbohydrates a 10-year-old child should consume, and is it really necessary for them to drink milk twice a day?” — Sabina H.
All drugs ending in “zumab” are so-called biologic drugs, which target only specific cells that the biologic drug marks during the immune response. They are used to treat cancer, where the biologic helps destroy cancer cells. In diabetes, they are used to modify and prolong the action of incretin-based medications. Unfortunately, however, they have not yet proven effective in preventing type 1 diabetes.
The medication you mentioned was relevant two years ago; I don’t have exact data on the latest research, but so far I’m not aware of any truly effective medication of this type. It is, however, very effective, for example, in reducing fat. Other medications that work through the immune response—such as vaccines—have also not, as expected, proven effective in type 1 diabetes in preventing the progression of the disease or at least significantly delaying it for several years. We will have to wait for more studies and research before any of these (biological) drugs actually come into routine use.
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre is one of the 24-hour blood glucose monitors in which a sensor—which consists of a tiny plastic tube inserted under the skin—continuously measures blood glucose levels. Like other devices, this sensor can be worn for about a week before it needs to be replaced. Since it’s new, we don’t have any firsthand experience with it yet, and it’s not available in Slovenia—that is, it’s not covered by the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZZZS). Its advantage is that by frequently checking blood sugar levels, we can monitor the rate and direction of change in blood sugar—not just its current value—which makes treatment easier.
In Slovenia, we use two types of monitors: one is standalone (the DexCom by Roche), standalone, and the other is connected to an insulin pump (Minimed); additionally, if blood sugar is low, it automatically shuts off the pump in case the child does not respond appropriately.
I can’t say exactly how many carbohydrates a child should eat, because it depends on their weight, body type, activity level (especially sports), etc.
Pediatricians have a growth chart that shows how a child should progress to be at an optimal height and weight. It’s best to ask your pediatrician. Milk alone isn’t particularly beneficial, but it’s certainly fine for a child to consume enough dairy products (yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, etc.), which are easier to digest than milk alone. The most accurate approach would be for a dietitian to conduct a nutritional assessment during a visit to the pediatrician and provide precise, individualized advice on both the quantity and selection of foods.