
April 6, 2002
Puberty
Question from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA:
I have just noticed that my eight (almost nine) year old daughter, who has had type 1 diabetes for about 17 months, has a couple strands of black hairs under her arms. It’s obvious to me she must be starting puberty. Isn’t she too young for this to be happening? Can this cause any problems since it’s starting so early? What can I expect?
Answer:
Your daughter is quite normal. Puberty is a process that takes several years to complete. Its effect on diabetes can be significant with increasing insulin requirement being the norm. However, provided you continue to monitor and act upon blood glucose results, you should have no particular problems.
KJR