Type 1 diabetes is an ongoing condition requiring ongoing attention and care, often becoming upsetting, exhausting and making those affected feel helpless. While type 1 diabetes can strike at any age, its incidence generally peaked between 4-7 years of age in children before reappearing 10-14 years later in youths. While no parent wants type 1 diabetes for their children to deal with it is inevitable; here’s some more information on what to do when your kid has been diagnosed with this disease.
Take Some Time To Process
Speedy treatment after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is of vital importance in order to keep blood sugar levels within healthy range and minimize both short-term and long-term complications. Though things may feel chaotic after diagnosis, your role as a supportive guardian remains essential. Take time out after each diagnosis for reflection on how best you can comprehend, acknowledge, and treat the situation of your child without judgment or prejudice.
At this stage, many inexperienced parents often go through stages of distress. While your youngster can still live a happy and fulfilled life despite living with type 1 diabetes, they must learn how to focus on and manage it effectively throughout their daily lives. Reevaluating many aspects of teenage life such as school functions, sleepovers or gatherings and Halloween activities will likely become necessary due to this chronic condition.
As soon as your child has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, you are likely to feel shock, bitterness, and outrage at having to manage this for their entire lives. Don’t feel guilty for expressing these emotions – this is not your responsibility; many factors contribute to its onset; unfortunately though it may be hard to prevent altogether. Your youngster needs you strong; so if you need to vent, do so privately but try remaining upbeat when discussing the news with them.
5 Tips For Parents Of Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes Children
Administering type 1 diabetes with your youngster can be challenging, yet achievable. Just know that you’re in good company, and with proper treatment your youngster will live a long and healthy life. Here are five hints for guardians of children living with type 1 diabetes.
Track Down A Good Doctor
As your child navigates their type 1 diabetes journey, they’ll work closely with a pediatrician to monitor blood glucose levels, regulate insulin doses and effectively treat the condition. Make sure they’re someone you trust as they’ll likely need to meet with frequently.
Based on your needs, creating a more comprehensive diabetes support group could prove extremely helpful. Consider including dietician, endocrinologist, certified diabetes educator, pediatrician, psychological wellness expert and emergency treatment doctors among its members as they will each have expertise treating kids with diabetes for proper care. Schedule meetings with all of these healthcare professionals immediately following diagnosis so you can start on an extensive treatment plan right away; and whenever extra assistance, tips or health evaluations are needed just reach out and make follow up plans immediately.
Get Educated
Navigating the waters of type 1 diabetes takes effortful dedication. Learning new terms and ideas, watching for symptoms that need monitoring, and having plans in place in case things worsen can be daunting – however there are numerous resources online available to you for support and learning more about hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia are among the key items to know right away.
Hyperglycemia occurs when your blood sugar levels become too high. This condition can result in symptoms such as an increased thirst, elevated urge to pee, dry skin, queasiness, fruity-smelling breath and windedness, among others. Hypoglycemia refers to when your blood sugar drops too low; also known as insulin shock; some symptoms include chills, fair skin with rapid heartbeats, weakness precariousness craving and even chills on fair skin with irregular heartbeats – symptoms you should take immediate action against. For advice regarding hypoglycemic symptoms please speak to your physician immediately upon being diagnosed or experiencing such conditions.
Make A Diabetes Care Plan
After your youngster has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, one of the key steps you’ll need to take is working out a diabetes care plan with their physician. This will include treatment choices such as monitoring blood sugar levels, administering insulin shots, dieting and exercising regularly – although initially this new lifestyle might seem overwhelming at first. Over time it will become second nature.
Checking Blood Sugar Levels
Type 1 diabetes requires continuous blood glucose monitoring to maintain stable and within a healthy range. While you can assist your child, it is also crucial that they learn how to monitor their own sugar levels properly for school attendance. Speak with your physician about finding an easy-to-use blood glucose meter specifically designed for kids. Also inquire about using persistent monitoring meters which make tracking glucose levels simpler throughout the day.
Insulin Administration
Diagnosing your youngster as having type 1 diabetes indicates their body isn’t producing enough insulin to manage blood sugar, leading to dangerous fluctuations that increase risk for serious medical issues. Because insulin converts sugar to energy, its lack can create potentially life-threatening spikes that necessitate special administration – both from home as well as monitoring levels regularly by health professionals. Working closely with their diabetes management team, you’ll develop an individual plan tailored for them – from learning how to administer their dose of insulin to controlling their dosage at home post monitoring blood sugar levels check results.
Legitimate Diet And Exercise
Your diabetes care plan must also include strategies for cultivating good eating and exercise habits and staying physically active, both of which help keep blood sugar stable while warding off complications. If any specific foods or exercises pose questions for you, be sure to reach out!
If there’s anything that has you confused, don’t hesitate to consult your physician. Navigating type 1 diabetes requires learning a great deal of new information, which may take some getting used to at first. For a simpler way of organizing and following it all up, check out some of the most useful diabetes apps out there.
Work As A Family
Diabetes affects every member of your household and making healthy improvements as a family can be the key to keeping family dynamics intact. Assuming everyone in the family practices healthy eating habits and prioritizes physical activity over stationary practices, your children will likely pick up on those tendencies themselves. However, if everyone in your family eats unhealthy suppers while you try to encourage your youngster to consume vegetables and whole grains, resistance may arise. Kids need to feel included, and when they eat separately from the rest of their family it can lead to emotional strain and negative thought processes. Start making changes slowly but surely throughout your family unit by providing nutritious snacks or creating an accommodating diabetes-friendly menu plan – check out some plans here – which could make a big difference for everyone’s well being!
Clear Out Some Space
It is vital that all the supplies necessary for diabetes management in your home be easily accessible, making it easier for all family members to act rapidly if there should be an unexpected crisis. A good location for this stockpile would be in an open kitchen cupboard or pantry. Be sure to include provisions alongside emergency items like glucagon, glucose tabs, candy, telephone numbers, insulin etc – or consider packaging the snacks into plastic packs with marked carb amounts to aid your child.
Being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes can create many emotional and inner struggles for families, and can have a tremendously negative impact on individual satisfaction. One way you can support your youngster in dealing with their disease is to foster healthy eating within the family as well as encourage physical activity along with a regular sleep plan. If any signs of distress appear after diagnosis, please reach out to a mental health provider experienced in treating childhood conditions for support and advice.
