When Your Child Is Diagnosed with Diabetes

Format: Web Site
Institute: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

About 177,000 young people under 20 years of age have diabetes. As obesity rates in children continue to soar, type 2 diabetes, a disease that used to be seen primarily in adults over age 45, is becoming more common in young people. Children with diabetes and their families, health care providers, and school personnel face unique challenges.

A new Web page from the National Diabetes Education Program can help these individuals learn more about type 1 and type 2 diabetes in young people. The page answers common questions about diabetes with a variety of resources from NIH and other organizations. Materials that you will find can help your family manage the disease and ensure your child’s health and well-being.

Some of the questions that are discussed include:
• How can we work together as a family to help our child?
• What emotional issues might our child and family face?
• What resources are there to help our child in school?

Next Steps
Visit the resource at www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/parents/parents_questions.htm to learn more about diabetes in children.