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Diabetic Information for Teens: Health Tips About Managing Diabetes and Preventing Related Complications

Lawton SA, ed. Detroit, MI 48226, Omnigraphics, 2006, hardcover, 410 pp, illus, ISBN: 0-7808-0811-8, $58.

The purpose of the Teen Health Series is to provide teens with preventive guidance, information on disease signs and symptoms, medical statistics, and risk factors for different disease entities. Diabetes Information for Teens organizes these topics into 6 parts.

Part I describes diabetes as a metabolic disorder and gives a simplified explanation of the glucose-insulin interaction. It defines the 2 types of diabetes, lists the risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes, identifies the signs and symptoms, reports the prevalence in different ethnic groups, and addresses the role of genetics. Readers are given a concise and complete explanation of diagnostic testing with well-organized tables that list the positive and negative test results. A short chapter on prevention follows. It is well documented with reports of studies on the effect of lifestyle intervention (diet, exercise, behavior modification) in reducing the risk of developing diabetes. Part I concludes with statistics on prevalence, death, and cost and a brief overview of related physiologic complications.

The strength of part II is its focus on the basic facts about insulin. The types of insulin are discussed and the characteristics of each type (onset, peak time, duration) are explained. Information on the injection site is comprehensive and includes considerations for choosing the most effective injection site, developing a site rotation plan, and the effects of the site on absorption. Valuable information on safe storage and traveling with insulin is provided. The advantages and disadvantages of syringe versus pump as methods of insulin delivery are discussed. The future possibilities for insulin delivery are briefly addressed.

Part III discusses the related health concerns in diabetes. The symptoms, causes, treatment, and prevention of hypoglycemia in people with diabetes and without diabetes are presented. The remaining chapters focus on each body organ or system that can be compromised in diabetes. The basic anatomy and physiologic process for each complication is explained. The chapter on heart disease and stroke lists the warning signs for each and provides information on prevention with practical suggestions to control risk factors.

Day-to-day living with diabetes is the topic of part IV. Chapters in this part present tips for creating a healthy meal plan along with examples of specific foods and food groups. Tips for "eating-out," the school cafeteria, and snacks directly target the challenges faced by teens in their peer groups. Physical activity and the effect of exercise on metabolism are discussed for mild exercise, such as walking the dog, to the intensity of the student athlete. The chapter on the student athlete discusses carbohydrate loading, diet during and after training and competition, and creating a monitoring plan to effectively match insulin treatment schedules with exercise schedules. Part IV concludes with an explanation of the effects of illness, such as colds or flu, on blood glucose control. It provides suggestions for monitoring and managing blood glucose during vomiting, diarrhea, and fever as well as identifying the signs and symptoms that indicate a need for immediate medical intervention.

Part V discusses the psychological aspect of living with a disease process. It provides suggestions for developing successful and open relationships with family, friends, and coworkers, for self-acknowledgment, and for the education of others. Part VI is a reference section that the reader can use to gain more comprehensive information about each topic presented in the text.

This text is directed to the teen population and would be an excellent library resource for a health class or for the teacher as a reference for class preparation. It can, however, serve a much wider audience. The clinical educator on diabetes may find it valuable to educate the newly diagnosed client regardless of age. It also would be an excellent reference and education tool for a preventive medicine seminar on diabetes. It is also recommended as reference in the physical therapy clinic.

Judith Verbanets

J Verbanets, PT, Sharp Rees Stealy Medical Group, San Diego, Calif

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This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Rapid Responses are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Verbanets, J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Verbanets, J. Related Collections Pediatrics: Other Diabetes Social Bookmarking                      What's this?