Okay I am a kid, and I have a diabetes question. Please, help.?!


Question: Okay, I am 13 years old (turning 14 in May) and I am overweight, and probably considered on the verge of being obese. I have been trying for a long time to lose weight [and yes, I have, im not one of those people who just say it] and today was easter an I got a bunch of candy from my aunt. But, while at her house, she told us that my older cousin (who is also overweight) was diagnosed diabetic (not sure which type), but it runs in her family (not my line of the family, through her fahter's family) and this was a wake up call. I went home today and thru out all of the candy, and looked up warning signs. I am seriously going to try to lose wieght, but im always afraid that one peice put me over the limit. If I do get it, what type might I get, and is diabetes forever, because I hear if you are diligant (sp) you can lose it. Please help me, im actually really scared here. The only signs that look like I saw is being tired all the time, but I dont sleep enough anyway, and I know i should.


Answers: Okay, I am 13 years old (turning 14 in May) and I am overweight, and probably considered on the verge of being obese. I have been trying for a long time to lose weight [and yes, I have, im not one of those people who just say it] and today was easter an I got a bunch of candy from my aunt. But, while at her house, she told us that my older cousin (who is also overweight) was diagnosed diabetic (not sure which type), but it runs in her family (not my line of the family, through her fahter's family) and this was a wake up call. I went home today and thru out all of the candy, and looked up warning signs. I am seriously going to try to lose wieght, but im always afraid that one peice put me over the limit. If I do get it, what type might I get, and is diabetes forever, because I hear if you are diligant (sp) you can lose it. Please help me, im actually really scared here. The only signs that look like I saw is being tired all the time, but I dont sleep enough anyway, and I know i should.

You could develop either Type1 or Type2 diabetes. Type1 is also known asjuvenile diabetes but not only kids get it. Type2 is both adult and young adults. Weight is a huge factor and diabetes is not always hereditary(either type) Type1 happens more often through heredity but not always. Try staying away from sugary foods and loose some of that weight. Maybe your aunt wasn't thinking when she gave you all that candy but WAY TO GO throwing it away. You can cheat sometimes Your not a diabetic your just trying to take precautions. Eat fruit, veggies, and sherbert.If you need somebody to talk to e-mail me I'll be glad to support you. Good luck, Hon!!!

You would get Type II diabetes if you got it. Eat healthy, avoid sweets, and exercise and that will help a lot.

The diabetes children get is called Type 1, requires insulin injections, is usually hard to manage and often results in a very shortened life. I don't think it's inherited.

Type 2 diabetes develops in older ppl and is much easier to manage. However, it still will cause a lot of problems over time. Seems to have a genetic component.

Weight control is best accomplished with a lifestyle change. It
requires proper nutrition, exercise, calorie management,
motivation, and discipline. Explore the links. The info will
serve you well the rest of your life.

If self education is not your bag, join Weight Watchers or
something similar. They'll teach you and you'll have group support.

Good Luck.

http://studentaffairs.case.edu/health/me...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercis...
http://walking.about.com/od/calorie1/Cal...

Type 2 is the most common kind and is associated with obesity. the symptoms include:
Increased thirst
Increased urination
Increased appetite
Fatigue
Blurred vision
Frequent or slow-healing infections
Erectile dysfunction
It can be treated by exercising and eating healthy, and you may not need medication for it after doing exercise and eating right, but you will still have the diabetes.



Type 1 diabetes usually is diagnosed at age 20+ and has no cure. Genetics play a large role in this. Symptoms include:
Increased thirst
Increased urination
Weight loss despite increased appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Fatigue
Absence of menstruation


Both of these can be treated and an individual with diabetes can live a long and happy life :)

Please don't be scared, but you should be concerned. You are at risk of Type 2 diabetes, which is no longer only affecting older people. It is becoming alot more prevalent in the younger population. Type 2 can be controlled by diet in the early stages and can be reversed if diagnosed at the Pre-diabetic stage. You are still young and can turn your health around. I am glad to hear that you see this as a wake up call. I would suggest you go to your doctor, who can test your blood glucose levels to put your mind at ease. Ask your doctor to refer you to a dietitian, who can help you work out a healthy eating plan , under medical supervision, to help you lose weight and to reach your goal within a healthy weight range for your age. I wish you all the best!!!

Good for you to be so concerned at such an early age. Try to control your weight by exercising daily (good physical stuff, like jogging or playing basketball will help.) Limit yourself to 1500 to 1800 calories by having 500-600 at each meal. This means NO snacks, no chips, no sodas. If you want to control your diabetes, you are the only one who can do it. When you have your next physical, be sure to tell the doctor about your concern and he/she may have more advice for you. A bloodtest is the only way to be sure you don't have diabetes, but might want to start keeping track of your medical data anyway. Ask your doctor for your medical records and keep them in a notebook so that you can take that with you should you ever develop diabetes or any other disease. Changes are that you will change doctors many times before anything actually develops. Being tired may or may not be a symptom of diabetes. Other symptoms include being thirsty, urinating a lot, dry skin, dizziness, and they change from person to person. There are many excellent web-sites on diabetes; find one. Are their diabetes in your family?

Type 1 Diabetes can start at any age, sometimes up to age 30. Our oldest son was diagnosed at 11. He is now 31, married, and doing quite well. Yes, Type 1 is forever.

Many people think that because Type 1 is sometimes called sugar diabetes (diabetes mellitus, with the word mellitus referring to New Latin "mellitus", meaning literally, honey-sweet diabetes) that it is caused by eating too much candy or sugary foods. This is not true. Many times adolescents, most often boys, will contract an obscure virus that isn't even noticed. This is called the Coxsackie B4 virus, which attacks the pancreas and, eventually, kills it. The person then produces no insulin and needs to either inject with insulin or use an insulin pump. The new insulin pumps are of tremendous help!

BTW, we had no diabetes in our family. Soon after our son was diagnosed (blood sugar 684), our great nephew was also diagnosed at 13. Coincidence? He probably had the Coxsackie B4 virus and never knew it.

Our second son was diagnosed Type 2 when he was 26. That is completely different.

Please take care of yourself! If it comes to be, YOU are the boss and YOU are in charge of your body.

"Type 1 Diabetes: Signs and symptoms

Type 1 diabetes symptoms may seem harmless at first. Look for:

* Increased thirst and frequent urination. As excess sugar builds up in your bloodstream, fluid is pulled from your tissues. This may leave you thirsty. As a result, you may drink



The consumer health information on answer-health.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2011 answer-health.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Categories