Juvenile Diabetes Page 2
Finding out Your Child has Juvenile Diabetes. It can be an emotional time when you find out that your child has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. You will wonder how this is going to affect your child emotionally and what it is going to mean for their future health. Your child is also going to be riding an emotional roller coaster. Depending on their age, they may or may not understand everything that is going on but they will understand that there are big changes being implemented. When a child is diagnosed with diabetes it affects the entire family. The day to day life of everyone may be changed. It will be a stressful time for but the best thing to do is to utilize the support available to you from your family, friends and health care providers. Educate yourself and your family and take it slow and easy. You are going to have a lot to learn and there is going to be a learning curve at the beginning. Not only do you need to learn how to give injections and monitor blood glucose levels but you will also have to plan very specific meals. But it can be done and after some time it will be second nature. Your whole family can benefit from the lifestyle changes that are going to be made. It may be especially hard for siblings but they will adjust just as everyone else will too. Eating a healthy well-balanced diet with plenty of exercise and physical activity is good for the entire family. Be there to support and listen to your child when they need it. They will be going through a range of emotions from anger to sadness and they are going to need their parents help during these times. If you keep a positive attitude and outlook they will too.
The type of diabetes the majority of children are diagnosed with is type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is associated with the disease when it is diagnosed in adults – also called adult-onset. There are cases of children being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and the numbers are growing. A big contributor to the increase in these numbers is poor lifestyle and diet choices for our children. But this is not the only cause and may not be the cause at all for some. Just because a child is overweight or eats unhealthy does not mean he or she will get type 2 diabetes. Although, these lifestyle choices are factors that can increase the chances of it happening. Symptoms or factors that are present in children who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes include the following: Some children will show none of the above signs and it can be hard to diagnose them with type 2 diabetes. Annual check-ups with your doctor are important. Discuss with your doctor your family’s medical history. If there is diabetes present in your family members your doctor may want to run routine tests even in the absence of additional signs or symptoms. The treatment for this type of diabetes is sometimes the same as type 1 diabetes. In some patients, they will have to take an insulin injection every day. But, with type 2 diabetes, depending on the severity of the disease, it is also possible to control blood glucose levels with diet and exercise alone.
When younger children are diagnosed with juvenile diabetes is can be very hard on them. They may not understand the severity of the disease and all of the restrictions that are placed on them. It is going to take patience and time for them to get used to their new lifestyle and the changes that go with it. Here are some tips to make the transition a little easier. Join a support group of other parents whose children have been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. There experience in dealing with situations that you are going through can help to give you ideas and let you know that you are not alone on this journey. Not only can this type of group benefit the parents, it is for the children too. It will be beneficial for them to have friends that have diabetes too. As they grow older, these friendships can last a lifetime based on the common link of juvenile diabetes. In the beginning especially you may feel guilt because you are constantly saying no to your child. It is for their own good that they can’t have treats whenever they want but it doesn’t make it any easier. Steel yourself against the cries, begging, and whining that may ensue and know that it will get easier as time goes on. Change is difficult for many including kids. As your child gets older and has more experience under their belt, involve them in the process of managing their diabetes. This will help them feel more in control of their disease and as the same time prepare them for the time when they are going to be on their own and have to take care of their own injections and blood glucose monitoring. Each child is different and is going to handle the changes in their own way. Be their to support and help your child in whatever way they need.
Teenagers are young adults and are ready to take on new responsibilities. If your teenager has had juvenile diabetes for some time, this is the time to pass the reins of management over to them. It may seem a bit intimidating to you to let your child take control of their diabetes but it is the best thing you can do for them. They are approaching a time in their life when they are going to be going out on their own. For both your sake and theirs, a comfort level needs to be reached in reading blood sugars, giving injections and planning appropriate meals. If your child was a teenager when he or she was first diagnosed, involve them in the process from the beginning. Their input and the ability to make some decisions will help them feel in control of a situation they would rather not be in. The biggest point to stress and make sure your teenager understands is how important it is to keep proper control of their diabetes. Juvenile diabetes is a serious disease and it has serious complications if blood sugar levels are not kept under control. Discuss with your child different scenarios that are sure to arise and try and come up with solutions or ways to manage them. Drinking can have a negative affect on blood glucose levels and it is important that a young adult realize the dangers. When they reach legal age, they need to know how drinking can affect them and ways to incorporate that into their life if they so choose. As a parenting, letting go is a hard thing to do but it is necessary to create independent adults. Trust your child to make the right decisions for their diabetes and be there to guide them when necessary. Go to Home Page
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