Q. My teenage daughter was just diagnosed with diabetes, and she’s afraid to tell her friends. Should she let them know she has it – or keep it to herself?

A. Being afraid of rejection is normal, but it’s important for your daughter to tell her closest friends about her diabetes. This is especially critical because if she keeps her diabetes a secret, and then has an episode of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and no one around her knows what to do, she could be in real danger.

Your daughter doesn’t have to go into detail about her diabetes, of course, and she doesn’t have to tell everyone she knows. But she should tell a few of her best pals and alert them to the symptoms of hypoglycemia. She can tell them that if she starts to become confused or gets sweaty, they can help by bringing her a glass of juice or giving her glucose tablets.

By talking about her diabetes, your daughter can also prevent misunderstandings and reduce her friends’ fear of the unknown. Friends may want to ask such questions as “Does it hurt when you check your blood?”

Once your daughter’s friends understand what she is experiencing, it’s very likely they’ll be supportive and helpful.