This month in the Kid Clinic: Stop Diabetes

• 1 in 11 Americans has it.
• 1 in 4 adults who has it doesn’t know it.
• 1 in 3 adults is at risk of developing it.

What is "it"?

Diabetes.

Every 19 seconds, someone is diagnosed with diabetes. That’s more than 32,000 friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members in the next seven days.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and unknown factors that trigger its onset, usually diagnosed in children; type 2 diabetes is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors. Being overweight increases your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, and a diet high in calories from any source contributes to weight gain. And even though type 1 diabetes occurs less often than type 2, the eating habits that kids develop in childhood often continue into adulthood.

Diabetes causes more deaths a year than breast cancer and AIDS combined. Having diabetes nearly doubles your chance of having a heart attack.

The good news is that good diabetes control can reduce your risks for diabetes complications.

The bad news is that type 2 diabetes often goes undiagnosed because is usually has few or no symptoms when it first develops.

Common symptoms of diabetes:

• Urinating often
• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling very hungry - even though you are eating
• Extreme fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
• Weight loss - even though you are eating more (type 1)
• Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)

Learn about how your healthcare provider can make a diabetes diagnosis or take this Risk Test from the American Diabetes Association to find out if you are at increased risk for having type 2 diabetes.

The Kid Clinic is a school-based pediatric clinic offering medical care and counseling services for Campbell County students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and their siblings over the age of 2. It is located at 800 Butler Spaeth Rd., across from St. Matthew’s Catholic Church. The Kid Clinic is open Monday-Friday from 8 am-5 pm. For more information, call 307-688-8700 or visit www.cchwyo.org/kidclinic.

The Kid Clinic is a collaborative effort between Campbell County Health and Campbell County School District.