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Because its complications can be so life threatening, diabetes is a very grave disease. What's worse, half the people with this condition don't even know they have it. Statistics from the American Diabetes Association say that 16 million Americans have diabetes. Diabetes can cause blindness, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, amputations, and even death. 170,000 Americans die every year from diabetes-related complications.

When a person has diabetes, it means that they either are not responding well to the insulin made naturally by their bodies, or their bodies do not produce sufficient insulin on their own. In a person without diabetes, ingested food is broken down into a sugar called glucose. The cells of the body use glucose as energy, but they can't use it unless insulin assists the glucose in getting to cells. When there is a problem with the body's insulin levels or supply, as in diabetes, glucose doesn't get to cells. It stays in the bloodstream and if left there, it can accumulate and cause trauma to the heart, kidneys, eyes, blood vessels, and nerves.

There is no cure for diabetes, but there are a variety of treatment options. Early screening can catch the condition early and provide ample time to avoid complications associated with the disease. It is vital, to this end, to recognize the signs of diabetes. The disease manifests itself in three forms; type 1 is usually seen in children and young adults, type 11 is usually seen in older adults and gestational diabetes is found during pregnancy.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common. About 95 percent of people who suffer from diabetes have this form of the disease. Although you may have no diabetes signs at all, if you or your children have any of the signs of diabetes, you should consult your doctor.

Vision changes, frequent urination, a constant feeling of thirst, fatigue or extreme weight loss are all signs of diabetes. While the disease can manifest in any person, Hispanics, African Americans and American Indians are more prone to develop it. There are also many risk factors for the condition, including having a child over 9 pounds, being over 45 years old, having a parent with the disease, or weighing 20% more than you should for your height and sex. Lack of exercise is another large risk factor for diabetes.

Juvenile diabetes, as its name implies, is mainly seen in children. In the worst cases, diabetic coma may be the initial sign of Type I diabetes. However, there are a number of other juvenile diabetes symptoms. In children, the symptom of frequent urination may appear in the form of bedwetting after the child is toilet trained. Extreme hunger and/or thirst, often for cold sweet drinks, may be present as well as sudden or dramatic weight loss, nausea, or vomiting. Other signs include unusual weakness or fatigue, eyesight changes such as blurred vision, restlessness and irritability. Unsurprisingly, children experiencing these symptoms may have difficulty in school.