The Teenager's Guide To Telehealth and Managing Diabetes

Diabetes among teenagers is rising at an unprecedented rate. Although diabetes mellitus type 1 is more common in young people, more and more youth are also falling prey to type 2 diabetes mellitus. In fact, in 2020, the National Diabetes Statistic Report stated that there were 210,000 American youth under the age of 20 who had diabetes.

Even if you have diabetes, it is important to understand that you can still live a full and healthy life. Early diagnosis of the disease followed by a personalized plan to create strategies that can help regulate blood sugar.

What are the Symptoms of Diabetes in Youth?

Teenagers with diabetes usually experience one or two symptoms out of four common symptoms. These symptoms are:

• Feeling the need to urinate more frequently, particularly during the night
• Drinking more fluids but still feeling thirsty
• Feeling more tired and fatigued all the time
• May be losing weight

Interestingly, in some cases, there are no symptoms at all.

If a teenager becomes thirsty more frequently or goes to urinate more often than usual, then the adolescent himself or their parents would not consider this as a symptom of diabetes. For this very reason, misdiagnosis of the disease is common.

Hence, it is important for parents to keep an eye on their children and know the possible signs of diabetes so that they may seek medical help for their child as soon as possible. If diabetes is left untreated, it can lead to other health issues in the long run.

Complications Related to Diabetes in Teens

If a teen does not receive treatment for type 1 diabetes, he may be at higher risk of DKA (diabetes ketoacidosis). DKA may also occur in teens with type 2 diabetes, but it is rare.

DKA is a very serious and life-threatening condition that requires immediate care. This occurs when your insulin levels become very low, which prevents the body from using glucose in your blood as energy. Instead, your body will start to break down fat to get energy.

This leads to ketones, chemicals that can be toxic at high levels. If these chemicals build up, your body will become acidic.

Early diagnosis of diabetes and proper management of the disease can prevent DKA.

The Role of Telehealth in Managing Diabetes

Diabetes is becoming more and more prevalent among teenagers, who often do not understand the symptoms and hence do not access diabetic care. Telehealth services offer a safe and convenient option for teenagers to get the right knowledge about the disease and to provide timely and efficient care that can improve the patient’s outcome. An online doctor can help improve your diabetic control and gives you access to knowledge that allows you to manage diabetes independently.

Telehealth services have also changed the quality of patient care and enabled them to compare the pricing of procedures and prescriptions. People with diabetes are also able to track information involving blood sugar, insulin levels, food intake, and exercise with the help of a virtual doctor.

Patients can also share information more easily and conveniently with their online doctor, keeping them informed of their conditions in between appointments. They can also access a wide range of online resources that support people with diabetes.

In addition, virtual doctors can also make high-quality healthcare accessible to people in underserved communities who do not have health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or permanent residency in the US and who are at a higher risk of diabetes.

Speak to Our Doctor Online

At TelMDCare, we offer the services of Dr. John Ibrahim, our skilled and qualified telemedicine doctor. Just sign up today and schedule a visit without leaving the comfort and safety of your home. We offer affordable rates for people who do not have health insurance, although we do accept popular healthcare insurance as well.

Schedule a consultation today.