June 22, 2006
Mental Health
Question from Benicia,California, USA:
My 17 year old son has had type 1 for almost five years. He has behavior patterns that are almost bipolar (instant anger he can’t control, can’t stop fidgeting and has trouble keeping focused). Are other disorders, such as ADD, bipolar, obsessive-compulsive sometimes associated with diabetes and how can we deal with a medical system that separates mental conditions from things like diabetes?
Answer:
Children and teens with diabetes have just the same risk as every other child for the diagnoses you mention, bipolar, ADHD, etc. The risk is no greater, no smaller. The health care system is a mess. There have been recent associations with medications for mental health conditions with increased glucose. To that, I say: “treat the diseases and treat the glucose.”
LD
