"It's hard enough to raise children, and even tougher when you have a chronic illness like diabetes," says Tamborlane. If your child is diagnosed, remember:

• Treat diabetes as a family. Lead by example, says Dr. Robert Rapaport, director of the division of pediatric endocrinology and diabetes at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. "Children aren't in charge of the cooking and shopping; it really depends on you, the parents."
• Monitor BMI. Your pediatrician should calculate the BMI and plot it on a growth curve.
• Demonstrate healthy habits. "Diabetes has to be a family affair," says Warshaw. "You can't tell your child: 'Here's your dinner -- we're having chicken fried steak.'" Commit to healthy behaviors. Learn a repertoire of healthy recipes, limit your child's TV time and invite him to join you on a family walk.
• Find good treatment options. When supplemented with diet and exercise, medications that reduce insulin resistance can delay onset and mitigate symptoms.

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