| ■ Talking to Your Child About Diabetes | 06.06.15 |
| As the parent of a child with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you may feel shocked, sad, or even angry or guilty at first - feelings that are perfectly normal. But the more you know about diabetes, the less anxious and better prepared you'll be to talk about it with your child, help your child manage the disease, and ultimately let your child take responsibility for diabetes care. Getting Started When you first begin discussing diabetes with your child, it's important to talk to your child in a way that's appropriate for his or her age (keep reading for some age-appropriate suggestions) and to always tell the truth. Don't be put off by all of your child's questions. Answering questions may help you learn more about diabetes, too. Children who have been diagnosed with diabetes may feel that they've done something wrong to have caused the disease. It's important for parents to emphasize, especially to younger children, that kids didn't do anything wrong to get diabetes. Make sure your child knows that diabetes is not going away, no matter how much he or she wishes it to. Reassure your child that it's OK to feel sad or upset about having diabetes, and let him or her talk about it openly. You may also need to talk about the diabetes diagnosis with your child's siblings, who may be jealous of the extra attention the child with diabetes is getting or concerned about the possibility of developing diabetes themselves. Sending the Right Message The words you use can send a powerful message about diabetes - and your child's role in managing it. Be positive. Emphasize that together you can get diabetes under control, and the better you do that, the less diabetes will get in the way of your kids' activities. And try to avoid using terms like "cheating" and "being bad" if your child veers from the diabetes management plan. Instead, help your child understand the relationships between eating and exercise and how those activities affect blood sugar levels. Because children look to their parents for guidance, how you deal with diabetes can directly affect how your child communicates with you about the disease. If you're stressed out about diabetes, chances are your child will be, too. For example, overreacting to a low blood sugar reading may cause your younger child to stop enjoying playtime activities for fear of something bad happening. Getting upset when your teen has a high blood sugar level may make it less likely that he or she will be honest about blood sugar readings in the future. It's also hard to expect a child with diabetes to limit sugary treats or to get regular exercise when living with siblings and parents who don't do the same. Have a family discussion about why living a healthy lifestyle is important for everyone - not just people with diabetes. By including all family members in meal planning and other activities, your child won't feel like an outsider or that he or she is somehow being punished for having diabetes. Diabetes Discussions for Different Ages Below are a few ideas for tailoring your diabetes discussions to your child's age. If you have any questions about what your child can handle emotionally, talk to your child's diabetes health care team. Infants and toddlers don't understand why they need to have shots or get their fingers or toes poked. To help them learn, try to make blood sugar testing and giving insulin part of the child's daily routine, like diaper changes or going down for a nap. Perform diabetes care quickly and gently, in a soothing manner, and reassure your child with calming words afterward. Preschoolers still need to rely on parents for their diabetes care. Explain diabetes-related tasks in simple terms. Parents can also help them feel some sense of control by letting kids tell them where they'd prefer to have their insulin injection and which finger to use for a blood glucose test. Children in grade school through middle school should be learning how to take on some of their diabetes care, but they still need parental involvement. Be supportive, but don't push your child as he or she gradually takes on self-care responsibilities. Your child's doctor or diabetes health care team can guide you regarding which tasks are appropriate to focus on with your child at each stage. As kids grow, they become increasingly interested in doing things independently and more sensitive about seeming different from their peers. Compliment your child each time he or she assumes a new self-care responsibility, but be understanding when your child has a temporary setback - which can be especially common when your child is feeling stressed. Avoid being overprotective and reinforce the goal and expectation that kids with diabetes can do anything that kids without diabetes can do. You can also discuss how having your child take responsibility for diabetes can make it! easier to go to fun events like parties and sleepovers. KidsHealth.org |