Warning signs: symptoms you shouldn't shrug off.

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Four years ago when she was 14, Brittany Saul's health suddenly took a turn for the worse. "I couldn't quench my thirst no matter how much I drank," the avid soccer player and runner from Malibu, Calif., recalls. "I lost about 25 pounds in two weeks and was tired all the time."

Saul, who's now 18 and a University of Arizona freshman, was experiencing some of the warning signs of diabetes, a chronic illness. Fortunately, her mother recognized the symptoms and whisked her to the emergency room. Medical testing quickly confirmed that Saul had type 1 diabetes.

Whether you have noticeable symptoms like Saul's or subtle signs that your health isn't in tip-top shape, resist the temptation to dismiss your concerns. "A symptom is your body trying to tell you something," explains Dr. Michael Spigarelli, who treats teens at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. "The longer your body needs help but doesn't get it, the worse the situation can become. It's always better to diagnose an illness early. That way it can be treated as quickly and easily as possible." And if your symptoms don't point to anything serious, you'll be relieved to find that out.

Here, Current Health outlines the symptoms of diabetes and four other medical conditions that can occur in teens. If you or a friend suspect you might have one of the illnesses mentioned, share your concerns with a health-care provider right away.

Diabetes

WHAT IT IS: There are two kinds of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. In type 1, the body doesn't produce insulin, a hormone that allows cells to use the sugars from food. In type 2, the body either fails to produce enough insulin or can't use it properly.

With both kinds of diabetes, the result is the same. Blood sugar levels swing up and down, which over time may damage vital organs. Very high blood sugar can lead to coma. Low blood sugar can cause dizziness, shakiness, sweating, confusion, and rapid heartbeat.

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SYMPTOMS:

Type 1 diabetes:

[check] increased thirst, urination, hunger; unexplained weight loss; fatigue

Type 2 diabetes:

[check] sometimes (but not always) increased thirst, urination, and hunger; sometimes no symptoms

Type 2 diabetes advances quietly. That's why doctors are now screening for diabetes in teens who are at risk because they are overweight or have a family history of the condition.

TREATMENT: Treatment involves careful, frequent monitoring of blood sugar levels; healthy meals and snacks at regular intervals; weight control; and exercise. People with type 1 diabetes need daily insulin injections. Some who have type 2 diabetes also require insulin; others can use oral medicine.

Appendicitis

WHAT IT IS: Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a small tubelike structure attached to the large intestine. The appendix is on the lower right side of the abdomen near the hip bone. If it bursts, bacteria spill into the abdomen and can cause a life-threatening infection.

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SYMPTOMS:

[check] at first, a vague pain around the belly button

[check] later, sharp, persistent pain in the lower right side of the abdomen; area extremely sensitive to touch

The difference between appendicitis pain and a typical stomachache is striking. "With a regular stomachache, you can hold your stomach where it hurts," Spigarelli points out, "but with appendicitis, it hurts to touch your stomach."

TREATMENT: The only treatment is surgical removal of the appendix. The goal is to get it out before it ruptures and the situation becomes more complicated.

Exercise-Induced Asthma

WHAT IT IS: This type of asthma causes breathing difficulties within a few minutes of starting a sports activity. It is the result of swelling in the bronchial tubes of the lungs. Temperature differences between the air inside the lungs and the air outside usually trigger the swelling.

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SYMPTOMS:

[check] a cough, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, and/or wheezing

If you're worried that exerciseinduced asthma will force you to give up sports, don't be. "Asthma is very treatable," reports Dr. Pamela Murray, director of the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

TREATMENT: An inhaler can deliver prescription medicine before a practice or competition. The medicine prevents the swelling that triggers an asthma attack.

Pneumonia

WHAT IT IS: Pneumonia is a lung infection that makes breathing difficult. It usually develops after a cold or flu. Germs settle in the lungs, filling lung tissue with pus and fluid.

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SYMPTOMS:

[check] persistent cough, rapid breathing, wheezing, high fever, and/or chest pain

[check] possible abdominal pain and vomiting

Viral pneumonia is gradual and milder than bacterial pneumonia, which comes on abruptly and severely. "Kids with bacterial pneumonia really look and feel sick," says Murray. Doctors diagnose the disease by listening to the lungs through a stethoscope; they may also take a chest X-ray. Walking pneumonia is a less-serious bacterial infection that also needs to be treated.

TREATMENT: Pneumonia is easy to treat in teens. If you have bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics will help you feel better within 24 hours. Viral pneumonia has to run its course because viruses don't respond to antibiotics. Taking over-the-counter painkillers and fever reducers, as well as resting and drinking fluids, helps relieve the symptoms of both types.

Mononucleosis

WHAT IT IS: Mononucleosis, commonly called mono, is an infectious viral disease. It spreads through contact with an infected person's saliva, possibly through kissing, sharing food or utensils, or coughing and sneezing.

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SYMPTOMS:

[check] severe sore throat, swollen lymph glands, fever, and extreme fatigue

"The worst sore throats I've ever seen are from mono," says Murray. "Sometime it's so bad you can't get down fluids or swallow your own saliva. If this happens, you need to go to the hospital for intravenous fluids and observation."

TREATMENT: There's no specific treatment for mono. You have to wait it out, which can take a few weeks to a few months. Rest, fluids, and pain relievers can minimize discomfort. The biggest concern is an enlarged spleen--an organ in your abdomen that's part of the immune system-which could burst. So contact sports and heavy lifting are off limits for six weeks because "rupturing the spleen can be a catastrophic event," says Murray.

Utimately, whenever you have symptoms that worry you, the best thing to do is talk to a health-care provider. "Bring in your list of questions--it's an important part of learning to take care of yourself," urges Dr. Janice Hillman, an adolescent-health physician in Radnor, Pa. "The symptoms may mean something is abnormal, but often everything is normal. A lot of medicine is reassurance-listening to people and telling them they'll be OK."

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DON'T IGNORE THESE!

Other serious symptoms that call for a doctor's attention include these:

[check] overwhelming sadness,

[check] suicidal thoughts,

[check] missed menstrual periods,

[check] unexplained, sudden weight loss,

[check] an excruciating headache.

Before Reading

* Survey the class about serious health conditions that affect teens and the symptoms of each.

Discuss

* Why is it a good idea to pay attention to symptoms and seek treatment for them? (Waiting may make an illness worse, and finding out a condition isn't as senous as feared may be a relief.)

* Rank the five conditions in the article from minor to major. (Exercise-induced asthma and mononucleosis are rarely lifethreatening, diabetes and pneumonia are more serious, and appendicitis is a medical emergency.)

Resources

* The Little Book of Big Medical Emergencies, by Dr. Stuart Fischer (Hatherleigh Press, 2007)

* WebMD Medical Symptom Checker symptoms.webmd.com