Message to Parents

The diagnosis will result as a shock to most parents, especially if it is juvenile diabetes, which is often a case in young children. Little ones get terrified with daily insulin injections.

Type 1 diabetes is not a death sentence and parents should not over react in this situation. Encourage the child to continue with normal social activities and stress the similarities rather than the differences between a diabetic and other normal child. A child’s self esteem and self image can be threatened by diabetes. Be aware of it. Consider counseling, not only for your diabetic child, but for the whole family.

Your child must be discouraged politely if he/she is eating something that is not on their diet sheets or if their blood tests results reveal a high blood sugar level. Remember to describe the result as high/low/normal, not as good and bad.

Meet your diabetic child, play with him and simplify his doubts regarding diabetes very patiently, children have an extraordinary capacity to adapt accordingly with the changes.

You need to control their diets and medication, while promoting self-care. Children with juvenile diabetes and their families should learn about different foods especially carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, and rice can affect blood glucose levels. Another message for parents to be supportive of a child with Type 1 diabetes is by regularly engaging in physical activity, which is essential in lowering blood glucose levels, controlling weight, and reducing stress. It’s also a good way for the families to spend time together by going for a walk, shooting hoops for taking a bike ride. Parents may need to talk with their children about how to follow their diabetes management plan in special situations while attending parties.

Parents and children can get help by sharing their concerns with physicians, diabetes educators, dieticians and other health-care providers. Local peer groups for children and teens with diabetes can provide positive role models, support and group activities.