I idolize him. Quick Tips and Techniques for Kids and Teens,'' a manual they co-wrote in high school. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin to process food. Type 2 diabetes usually is treated with diet, exercise and sometimes oral medication. And the numbers are growing.
Diabetic teens can find it tough to maintain a healthy routine.
For one thing, kids with diabetes cannot snack on sweets as freely as others. And, there's a lot to do on a daily basis. For an adult that's hard, so I can't imagine being a kid with it,'' said Jessica Kinstlinger, a social worker at Boston Children's Hospital. Complicating that, Kinstlinger said, is a teenager's tendency to test his limits and not think beyond the moment. Diabetics need support to stay healthy.