[Treatment of the child and adolescent with type 1 diabetes: special paediatric diabetes units]

Intensive treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) delays and slows down the progression of chronic diabetes complications (DCCT 1993). This type of treatment in children and adolescents with DM1 has a different complexity to other stages of life and therefore, needs specialized care units. Various documents and declarations of diabetic patient's rights are evaluated, and the need for an adequate health care is emphasized. In the last decade, several projects have been developed in Europe to create a benchmark treatment of pediatric diabetes, with the aim of establishing hospitals with highly qualified healthcare to control it. The Diabetes Working Group of the Spanish Society for Pediatric Endocrinology (SEEP) has prepared this document in order to obtain a national consensus for the care of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in specialist Pediatric Diabetes Units, and at the same time advise Health Care Administrators to establish a national healthcare network for children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus, and organize comprehensive pediatric diabetes care units in hospitals with a reference level in quality of care.