Type 1 diabetes in U.S. children and adolescents may be increasing and many more new cases of type 2 diabetes are being reported in young people. Standards of care for managing children with diabetes issued by the American Diabetes Association in January 2005 provide more guidance than previously given. To update primary care providers and their staff members on this rapidly changing area of diabetes care, the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) has developed this overview of the current literature. This fact sheet describes type 1 and type 2 diabetes and presents statistics, identifying children with diabetes, treatment strategies, monitoring complications and reducing CVD risk, visiting the health care team, helping children manage diabetes, prevention strategies for type 2 diabetes, and such special issues as family support, transition to independence, diabetes at school, and camps and support groups. The fact sheet also lists resources for further information about diabetes, target goals for blood glucose levels, educational materials, and support programs. [The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) is jointly sponsored by the National Institutes of Heath (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the support of more than 200 partner organizations.]