 |
Preparing Your Child and Family for Life With Diabetes
After the initial shock of diagnosis wears off and we become
more comfortable with administering insulin shots, scheduling
blood tests and mealtimes, and carbohydrate counting we have a
chance to look to the future. At that point it really begins to
sink in what a long-term commitment parenting a diabetic child
really is. We now understand we have been drawn into a different
lifestyle that will last as long as we are parents. Even when our
child is grown up and leaves home we will still be concerned and
involved with the diabetes community.
If you are finding that you are having trouble managing your
child's diabetes let me first share some statistics I found so
you realize you are not alone.
35-75% do not follow meal plans all of the time
20-80% do not administer insulin correctly all of the time
30-70% do not record blood-monitoring level properly all of the
time
23-52% do not provide adequate foot care all of the time
70-81% do not exercise adequately all of the time
Now that we understand how difficult it is to live with a
chronic and potentially deadly disease, the question is how do we
teach our children the reality of diabetes while still allowing
them to be kids and trying to keep their lives as normal as
possible. An experience that if you haven't run into you soon
will is birthday parties. They are everything you need to avoid
to keep your child's diabetes under control but they're also an
important aspect of your child's life. With some planning you can
have both. You can learn the specifics of this and many other
situations you will face in my ebook "So Your Child Has
Diabetes". The point is life and diabetes can go on together.
Just as important, your child's friends learn about diabetes and
talk about it. They don't discriminate, they include your child.
We as parents need to be adults in these types of situations. We
are the voices of maturity, reality and humanity. We are the ones
who allow our children to talk about their disease and how it
makes them feel as well as keeping them focused on self-care. We
are the ones who keep the disease from overcoming our family.
When you let your child talk to you about how they feel about
having diabetes you will find your child has less emotional
stress and better control of their blood glucose levels.
General family stress can greatly affect blood glucose levels.
It's a delicate balance. When your child's blood glucose levels
are out of control it can cause stress in the family and when
there's stress in the family it can cause out of control blood
glucose levels. You need to be prepared for these times. The
Children's Hospital that treats my daughter has an excellent
Mental Health Department. Other communities have a variety of
services they offer. Make yourself aware of them and know where
to turn before things start to get out of control.
One of the things that really surprised me was the difference
in the way I perceived diabetes and the way my daughter perceived
it over time. I found it easier to cope with diabetes as time
went on. You get into a rhythm and your comfort level with
treatment increases. On the other hand my daughter found that the
emotional distress associated with diabetes increased as time
went by. We need to be aware that just because we are better at
dealing with diabetes it doesn't mean our children need less of
our day to day care. A mistake I made was assuming that my
10-year-old didn't need me to constantly supervise her blood
glucose monitoring. After she went on an insulin pump it was no
longer necessary for me to administer insulin. She had been
checking her own blood levels for quite a while. Even though she
was checking her own blood, while I was giving the shots I was
right there to make sure she checked properly and at the correct
times. Once she went on the pump that wasn't the case anymore. I
noticed that she wasn't nearly as conciencious when I wasn't
there. This is just normal in the development of a child. Our
children need us to keep them safe while they achieve these
developmental skills.
In order to properly prepare our children for life with
diabetes we must remember how we feel when we are ill. We hate
it. Feeling lousy, unable to enjoy some of our normal activities.
Imagine how this is magnified in our diabetic child. They never
get a break. No rest from it, no vacation. No wonder they
experience emotional problems. Never forget this. Our children
need to know that we will always be there for them. They are not
facing this alone. Listening to our children about their feelings
is important but not enough. We also need to talk to them about
what happens if they don't take good care of their diabetes. We
need to be careful. We don't want our children to think that
there is something wrong with them or to feel ashamed if their
blood glucose levels aren't always under control. In this case
children are like puppies. They respond better to reward for
proper behavior that to punishment for wrong behavior.
Finally we need to realize that preparing for life with
diabetes is an ongoing process. You can't control the process all
of the time. Just take care of it one day at a time. With your
help your child can understand this process of diabetes control
and you don't have to become "that diabetic family". With
preparation and awareness you, your child and the rest of your
family can live healthy normal lives.
Russell Turner is the father of a 10 year old Type 1 Juvenile
Diabetic daughter. When she was first diagnosed he quickly found
there was all kinds of information on the internet about the
medical aspects of this dsease. What he couldn't find was
information about how to prepare his family to live with this
disease. He started a website http://www.mychildhasdiabetes.com
and designed it so parents of newly diagnosed children would have
a one-stop resource to learn to prepare for life with
diabetes.
MORE RESOURCES:
|
Medical experts meet in S'pore for diabetes workshopChannel News AsiaSINGAPORE: Leading international experts in type 2 diabetes are in Singapore to address specific challenges and opportunities of bariatric or metabolic surgery for Asian patients and health care systems. The Asia-Pacific Workshop on Metabolic Surgery ...and more » |
|
Diabetes amputations drop, but disease expandsSouthCoastToday.comBy ANIKA CLARK The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published good news recently for the nation's diabetic adults. In 2008, substantially fewer of them 40 and older received lower limb amputations than they had 12 years prior. |
|
Sports-themed windows to benefit diabetes researchMuncie Star PressMUNCIE -- Pat L. Smith, owner of build, LLC, is offering a collection of sports-themed windows and doors to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Smith's son, Eric, was diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic at the age of 23 while serving ... |
|
Program aims to empower diabetes patientsAlton TelegraphBy DAN BRANNAN For those living with diabetes, education is so important and a recent program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville focused on that topic from A to Z. The annual diabetes education program was held on Jan. 20 at SIUE. |
Google News
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Fanning the Flames of
the Diabetes Epidemic
INTRODUCTIONIt is my pleasure to introduce to you, a new
Diabetes Prevention Education, Public Relations Campaign
established under the name Fannie Estelle Hill Grant,
started by me, Lyndia Grant-Briggs, after the loss of my
mother who succumbed to Type 2 Diabetes on Christmas Day,
December 25, 2000. I noticed a fire burning in the Diabetes
health arena, and it is still burning out of control.
Diabetes Break-Thru
Helps Battle Blood Sugar Woes
Are you a diabetic? If so, you are definitely not alone.
Recent numbers report that there are some 18 million Type 2
diabetics.
Revolutionary Lancet
Device for Diabetic Glucose Testing
Now you can reduce the pain and inconvenience of testing.
Unlike conventional lancing systems, the ACCU-CHEK
Multiclix lancet device is the only 1 with a six-lancet
drum.
Type I Diabetes:
Insulin-Dependent Diabetes
Type I diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes
or juvenile diabetes. This form of diabetes is mainly found
in children.
Raising Happy Diabetic
Kids
This is the first in a series of articles I am about to
embark upon concerning this subject. As my family gets
older and matures with this disease I think back to the
early days and wonder why aren't we all on medication for
depression? Why don't we have standing twice a week
appointments with a psychiatrist? How did we end up so
normal?(whatever that is) As I look back this didn't happen
by accident, nor am I Super Dad, and I didn't plan it out
step by step.
Diabetes... Sweet Story
of Healing
In a time not too long ago, there lived a little girl named
Lindsey. (Real story.
Improper pH Balance
Increases Risk and Damage of Diabetes
THE RISKBlood sugar balance is critical to your body's
proper functioning. Blood sugar (glucose) is the primary
source of fuel for the body's cells and is particularly
critical to the brain and the eyes.
Pre-Diabetes: Check
Engine Warning Light
Your car has an early detection system and so does your
body. Take 3 minutes to read this article and learn how you
can save yourself a life time of aches, pains, and costly
medical bills.
Becoming a Diabetes
Expert
I am a diabetes expert. No I'm not a doctor or a nurse.
I Have Diabetes or
Another Chronic Condition - Should I Use an
HSA?
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are becoming quite popular
for people who are generally healthy. But what about sick
people? What about people who have chronic conditions like
diabetes, multiple sclerosis or the like? Does an HSA make
sense for them?The short answer is yes.
Diabetic
Fruits
Fruit gives you energy, vitamins, minerals, and
fiber.Examples of fruits which are recommended to Diabetics
include:? Bananas? Apples? Fruit Juices? Strawberries?
Raisins? Oranges? Mango? Guava? PapayaBasically, for
diabetics,One small apple, one-half cup fruit juice, or
one-half of a grapefruit all considered one serving of
fruit each.
Diabetes Type 2 and
Artificial Sweeteners
Diabetes Type 2 (adult onset)Refined carbs/sugars are
actually the biggest contributing factor to type 2
diabetes--that is, the type of diabetes people develop
later in life. The major contributing factor to type 2
diabetes is eating too many refined carbs.
Diabetes And The Long
Term Dangers
Diabetes has hidden dangers that begin before diagnosis and
continue to worsen if certain steps are not taken to
prevent the complications that are the true, "killers" in
terms of diabetes.Statistics show that there are around 18
million diabetics in America, both Type 1 and Type 2.
Diabetic Complications -
Can Benfotiamine Help Prevent Them?
Diabetic complications contribute too many life threatening
diseases globally. The root cause of diabetic complications
is elevated glucose levels which contribute to blood vessel
damage.
Diabetes is
Manageable
It is estimated that over 18 million people over the age of
20 in this country have diabetes. Persons over the age of
45 and those considered obese according to the Bio Mass
Index are in elevated risk categories for this potentially
fatal disease.
Avandia Side Effect
Lawyer: Diabetes Drug Damages Liver
Avandia, a compound of rosiglitazone maleate, is an oral
antidiabetic agent. Avandia pills increase insulin
sensitivity for patients with type 2 diabetes, or
non-insulin-dependent diabetes.
Favorite Desserts For A
Diabetic Husband
It's easier than you think to create delicious desserts for
your diabetic husband. When I had to get right down to it
the ideas came flying at me out of my kitchen
cupboard!Here's a few of his favorites:Easy Orange/Banana
Parfait1 pkge Lite Orange Jello (no sugar) 2 cups vanilla
yogurt (fat free, no sugar but artificially sweetened) 1/2
tsp vanilla 2 tsp Splenda 1 banana 1/8 cup Lite cream
cheese Makes 4 servingsPrepare the jello per the package
directions.
Exercise &
Diabetes
You are no doubt aware that exercise can help prevent the
serious complications that often come with diabetes and
heart disease. Research has repeatedly shown that regular
physical activity helps reduce the likelihood of having a
heart attack or a stroke, aids in weight loss, and improves
mood.
Diabetic
Neuropathy
Diabetic Neuropathy, a nerve disorder caused by diabetes,
is characterized by a loss or reduction of sensation in the
feet, and in some cases the hands, and pain and weakness in
the feet. The symptoms of diabetic neuropathy vary.
The Importance Of
Following And Maintaining A Diabetic Diet
A diabetic diet is a specially designed eating plan that is
high in carbohydrates and low in fat. People with diabetes
don't need to go out and purchase special foods to maintain
a diabetic diet, they can eat the same foods as the whole
family.
|
|
