DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My nephew, who is 11 years old, is knock-kneed. It doesn’t faze him in the least. He’s a very active boy and into all sports. In fact, he’s a very fast runner. Should something be done for this? If so, what? My sister says she has had him examined by a doctor. — D.M.

A: With knock-knees, the knees touch or are close to touching when the person stands with feet apart. Knock-knees are common at the ages of 3 and 4. Then leg bones eventually straighten, and the knees become aligned properly. If knock-knees persist past these early years, a doctor should be consulted. Sometimes braces can remedy the deviation, and sometimes surgery is necessary.

Apparently your nephew’s knees are not turned to such a degree that any interference is required.

c. North America Syndicate

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am 32 and expecting my first child in three months. My doctor checked my blood sugar, and I have diabetes. How can this be? No one in my family has it, and I feel well except for the usual complaints of pregnancy. I might be urinating more often, but I ascribed that to my big uterus pressing on my bladder. Am I going to have diabetes for life? — T.R.

A: You won’t have diabetes for life if you have what’s known as gestational diabetes, the diabetes of pregnancy. About 4 percent of women acquire diabetes during their pregnancy. It’s so common that many doctors screen all their pregnant patients for diabetes between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a time when women make many hormones that blunt the action of insulin, so blood sugar rises to diabetes level in some women.

Often, diet can regulate blood sugar during gestational diabetes. If diet doesn’t keep blood sugar normal, then insulin injections are needed. In some countries, oral diabetic medicines are used rather than insulin.

Treatment of a pregnant woman’s high blood sugar is important. High blood sugar can cause the woman to lose protein into the urine and can elevate blood pressure. It makes the fetus gain excessive weight, and that can make delivery difficult. Babies born to women whose blood sugar is high frequently show low blood sugar soon after birth.

After delivery, almost all women with gestational diabetes revert to a normal blood sugar. However, many women who have had gestational diabetes become overt diabetics 10 years after this happens.

You and all women like you must have blood sugar levels followed in the coming years, and you have to do what’s necessary to prevent diabetes. Two important preventive steps are staying on the slim side and faithfully exercising.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Do you have any comments on the grapefruit diet? I understand that it works wonders quickly and that it keeps weight from coming back. My friends are very enthusiastic about it. They tell me it is promoted by the Mayo Clinic and is quite safe. — W.R.

A: The grapefruit diet is one of those diets that crops up again and again with depressing regularity. I don’t know where it started or who started it. And I don’t know which version you are referring to. I do know that it would be short of a miracle if grapefruit could melt fat; it can’t. The grapefruit diet doesn’t work.

The Mayo Clinic has nothing to do with this diet.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Regarding the person with hives, I had the same misfortune and went from doctor to doctor without any relief. Finally, I was referred to an allergist, who put me on Xyzal and Zyflo CR. I was able to get off all the medicines that had made me so drowsy, and I have not had a bad recurrence for five months. — J.D.

A: Maybe they will work for others. Xyzal is an antihistamine, and Zyflo CR is an asthma medicine. We’ll see if others get the same results you did.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com.