HEALTHY FAMILY
Living with
Youth Diabetes
BY HEATHER M. ROSS
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition
in which the body either doesn’t make
enough insulin or doesn’t use it as well as
it should. Insulin, a naturally occurring
hormone made in the pancreas, helps the
body use sugar for energy. There are three
main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and
gestational diabetes.

Risa Wolf, M.D., an associate profes-
sor of pediatrics in the division of pediatric
endocrinology at Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine, says that the incidence
and prevalence of type 2 has been increas-
ing over the past two decades. Specifically,
doctors are seeing more diagnoses among
children, and during the pandemic.

According to the nonprofit American
Diabetes Association (ADA), headquar-
tered in Arlington, Virginia, DMV residents
are feeling the effects of this increase
more and more, as it is estimated that one
in every three children born after 2000 in
the U.S. will be directly affected by diabe-
tes. The nonprofit helps to fund research
for preventing, managing and curing
the condition.

Wolf says that the ADA is a good place
to start in terms of family support, as the
organization has a tremendous amount
of resources and the largest network of
diabetes camps nationwide.

Finding Out
Learning that your child has diabetes is
never an easy process, nor is it always
straightforward. During a routine checkup in 2021, Ellicott
City teen Hakeem Shonubi, 15, presented
a significant change in blood sugar rela-
tive to his medical history. This sent him to
the emergency room and led to a two-day
stay at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
26 Washington FAMILY
APRIL 2023
in Baltimore, where he was diagnosed with
type 2 diabetes.

When he first heard his diagnosis,
Hakeem was surprised—and devastated. He
hadn’t felt ill at all. “I knew nothing about
it,” he says.

The fact that Hakeem’s condition was
discovered by a routine visit shows how
important seeing a pediatrician regularly
can be. But there are also some symptoms
to look out for that children commonly pres-
ent prior to diagnosis, according to Wolf.

These symptoms can include frequent uri-
nation, drinking a lot, fruity-scented breath,
confusion and fatigue.

They can prove difficult for parents to
spot, especially if they have multiple chil-
dren. That’s why knowing the risk factors for
diabetes is helpful.

The risk factors for type 1 include a fam-
ily history of type 1 diabetes and the right
age, as the condition most commonly devel-
ops in children, teens or young adults. Type
2 diabetes is more likely to develop if you
meet any of the following criteria: age
45+, overweight, have a close relative with
type 2, have a low level of physical activity,
are a member of certain ethnic groups or
have prediabetes.

Prediabetes, as Wolf explains it, is when
someone has a higher-than-normal blood
sugar level, but not high enough to indicate
type 2 diabetes yet. Parents should know
that even if their child has prediabetes, life-
style changes can help prevent or delay
the onset of type 2 diabetes, according to
Centers for Disease Control.

Management Two years after his diagnosis, Hakeem has
become something of an expert on han-
dling his condition. He manages his diabetes
with routine visits to the Children’s Center,
healthy lifestyle choices, frequent visits to
DAISY-DAISY/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
A DIABETES DIAGNOSIS CAN FEEL CRUSHING, especially when
you aren’t expecting it. This is even more true when the diagnosis is
for your child. But parents of children living with diabetes and doc-
tors both have one clear message: the condition is manageable.




HAKEEM: PROVIDED
the gym, sports activities and including a healthy amount of
vegetables in his diet.

He also has the support of his mother, Nimota Shonubi.

One way Wolf says parents can support their chil-
dren is to highlight successful people and role models
who have diabetes, such as Tom Hanks, Nick Jonas or
Sonia Sotomayor.

“A lot of people are very worried about complications,”
Wolf says. “We tell our families and children that that
doesn’t have to be them. ‘As long as you take care of your
diabetes, that’s not going to happen’.”
For managing type 2 diabetes, Wolf recommends planning
balanced meals with a nutrition team, making sure to get
enough fruits and vegetables, staying physically active and
avoiding sugary beverages and unhealthy foods.

Parents should look for local support groups, camps
and programs. Wolf herself founded Camp Charm City, an
annual five-day camp for children ages 6 to 12, on the cam-
pus of Johns Hopkins University.

Wolf, who remains the camp’s medical director,
says the camp is a place where kids with diabetes can
be kids while they learn to eat nutritious meals and
monitor their glucose levels.

The social benefits Wolf has observed from the camp have
been huge. Prior to attending, many of the children had never
met another child with their condition, but once they find
themselves surrounded by a whole camp of these students,
they start to feel like they aren’t so different after all. 1
❝It’s important to
understand that
each condition
is distinct❞
— RISA WOLF
TYPE 1 DIABETES is caused by
an autoimmune disease where
the beta cells of the pancreas
are attacked by a person’s own
antibodies and can no longer
produce insulin like they should.

Hakeem - Before
TYPE 2 DIABETES is generally
described as a state of insulin
resistance. This type of diabetes
is most often seen in children
who are overweight or obese,
but there are other risk factors.

GESTATIONAL DIABETES is
typically a temporary condition
that occurs while pregnant and
usually goes away after the baby
is born.

Hakeem - After
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