|
Quick Guide to Type 2
Diabetes in Youth
Okay, I Have Diabetes.
What Now?
Until someone discovers
a cure for diabetes, you
and your health care
team will work to keep
your blood glucose levels as
close as possible to
your target range.
You’ll do this by
balancing food,
medicine, and activity.
Read on to find out how:
Food & Losing Weight
- You may be
overweight. If so,
losing weight will be
an important part of
your diabetes care
plan. You and your
health care team will
work together to build
a diabetes plan that
lets you be the boss
of your diabetes. You
are in control. Even
if you’re not
overweight, your plan
will help you balance
food, activities, and
sometimes medicine.
Physical Activity
- The more calories
you burn up, the
better your body uses
insulin, and the more
often your blood sugar
will be in your target
range. You don’t have
to start running
marathons. But do make
sure you do something
active every day. It
can be shooting hoops,
mowing the lawn,
shoveling snow, hacky
sack, anything that
raises your heartbeat
for 20 minutes or
more. Watching TV,
spending hours at the
computer, playing
video games, and
hanging out with
friends don’t count as
exercise. Talk with
your health care team
about the things you
like to do and make
sure those activities
are part of your
diabetes plan.
Medication - Your
doctor may give you
diabetes medicine to
help you feel better
and keep your blood
sugars within your
target range. Be sure
to ask how and when to
take the medicine, and
how much to take. You
should also know how
the medicine works,
whether there are any
side effects, and when
you should report side
effects to your
doctor. Your doctor
may have you take
insulin shots for a
while to get your
blood sugars back to
where they should be.
Click
here for more
information on insulin.
Some people can
control type 2
diabetes without
medicine. Losing
weight and following
your diabetes plan
will help.
Quick-Start Check
List - Click
here for quick & easy
ways to get started
down the road to good
diabetes management.
What Is This Dark Skin
Patch?
Lots of people who have
type 2 diabetes have
"insulin resistance."
That means that their
body is making insulin
but can’t use it. So the
insulin builds up and as
a result, you may get a
dark area of skin around
your neck or in your
armpit. It’s called
acanthosis nigricans
(AAY-can-THO-sis NIG-ruh-cans),
or "A.N."
Almost 75% of kids with
type 2 diabetes have AN,
so you’re not alone. But
it can be embarrassing.
Some people call it
"dirty neck" and try
scrubbing it or even
using bleach to get rid
of it. These don’t work,
though, so spare
yourself the bleaching.
The good news is that
taking control over your
diabetes -- eating well,
being active, losing
some weight, and taking
your diabetes
medicine -- lowers the
amount of unused insulin
in your body. This will
help get rid of AN.
Am
I the Only One?
Diabetes can make you
feel very alone. You may
be the only person you
know who has it. But you
are not alone. 18.2
million people in the
United States have
diabetes. And most of
them have type 2. There
are Olympic athletes,
sports stars, famous
actors, and people doing
just about everything
else, all with diabetes.
It may
help to meet someone
else your age with
diabetes. Your local
American Diabetes
Association office can
help. The folks there
can tell you about
different group
activities. You can join
a walk or bike ride that
raises money to find the
cure for diabetes. For
many kids, the highlight
of the year is getting
away to a summer camp
set up just for kids
with diabetes. (It’s a
great way to prove to
your parents that you’re
learning to take care of
yourself.) To find your
local ADA office and
learn more about ADA
activities in your area
call 1-888-DIABETES
(342-2383).
|
