Adapting to Diabetes

In the near term, as a parent of an infant or toddler with diabetes, you'll be much more affected by this diagnosis than your child will. After all, your child is fully dependent upon you for all care, not just diabetes treatments. Even as your child begins walking and talking, diabetes will be a very small part of their world. Kids live in the moment. The blood sugar test or injection that was so upsetting this morning has long since been forgotten.

For your own peace of mind, as well as your child's health, take advantage of every possible opportunity to educate yourself. Get involved in a local support group, where you can get to know other families facing the exact same issues every day. And take care of yourself. Diabetes is a day-by-day, sometimes hour-by-hour responsibility, and if you're not careful it's easy to get burned out.

Talking to Your Child

Only you will know how much information to provide your child, and when they'll be ready to understand more. For a while, it may be enough for them to know that they've got too much sugar in their blood and need insulin to let it out.

Still, it's a good idea to start talking about diabetes and your feelings early on. Try to be matter-of-fact about blood sugar results and injections - even babies are attuned to the way we say things, which can reveal a lot more than the actual words we use.

A few more tips... 

•  Listen closely to your child, and read between the lines. Are there things he or she doesn't quite understand? Like that diabetes isn't deadly or contagious? Do they know they aren't being punished for doing something wrong? Do the siblings understand that diabetes isn't their fault either? These are common misconceptions among children

•  Choose words carefully - don't call blood sugars or blood sugar readings "good" or "bad," use the words high, low, and normal. Try to keep things from sounding judgmental whenever possible

•  Congratulate your child on being courageous when it's time to test or inject

•  Make testing and injecting times warm and loving. A cuddle after a blood sugar test can go a long way.