Having a child with diabetes can seem like a full-time job on its own. “Diabetes is a 24/7 condition,” says Ellie Kagan, a pediatric nurse practitioner and diabetes educator at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore. “There are constant demands, including checking blood sugar, counting carbohydrates and adjusting insulin doses.” Caring for a child with diabetes can be a lot of work even for the most motivated family, Kagan adds.
“Children and their parents have to make diabetes-related decisions many times each day, and that can be difficult for both parents and kids,” says Dr. Lital Reitblat, a pediatric endocrinologist at Broward Health in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
However, there are ways to make diabetes management and care a bit more manageable. Here are some suggestions from seasoned experts.
[See: The Best Hospitals for Pediatric Diabetes and Endocrinology.]
Use technology to your advantage. More and more children with diabetes are using a continuous glucose monitor. It’s a small sensor placed under the skin that’s connected to a transmitter, and it reads blood sugar levels every few minutes. It can sound an alarm if blood sugar is going too low or too high. “Years ago, parents were waking up two to three times during the night to check blood glucose and treat lows. For the first time, many parents are now sleeping through the night and counting on the alarms to wake them up if their child’s blood glucose goes low,” Kagan says. In addition, more health insurance companies are covering the costs of continuous glucose monitors.
Stay involved. “I have seen children as young as 4 years old who have the ability to check their own blood sugar, and kids who are 5 and can give their own injection, but that does not mean that they understand what to do with the information they are getting,” Reitblat says. Similarly, teenagers may be able to mentally understand what diabetes is and monitor it, but that doesn’t mean they’ll give it top priority, says Dr. Fran Cogen, an endocrinologist and certified diabetes educator and director of the Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes Program at Children’s National Health System in the District of Columbia. Make sure you stay involved as a parent during all steps of care.
Teach kids to manage their diabetes in front of others without fear. Reitblat makes the analogy of children with asthma who must use an inhaler in public. Similarly, checking blood sugar or administering insulin shots doesn’t take long and can be done discreetly.
Realize that setbacks will occur. There are times when your child’s blood sugar may be higher or lower than it should be. This could be due to normal growth in children, weight gain, puberty or not following the right insulin and food plan. “Use these setbacks to learn from them, and discuss with your child how to have a different outcome next time,” Reitblat advises. She also recommends that parents avoid calling blood sugar levels “good” or “bad.” Instead, they should stick with more matter-of-fact terms for blood sugar levels, such as “high,” “normal” or “low.”
[See: 6 Tips to Keep Diabetics Out of the Hospital.]
Be aware of exercise-associated lows. Children can sometimes have a delayed response to exercise, and that can lead to lower blood sugar at night in some, Kagan says. In fact, physical activity can make your body more sensitive to insulin for up to 24 hours, according to the American Diabetes Association. Although everyone is different, find out the post-exercise norm for your child so you’re prepared to manage it.
Keep their social circle informed. For young children, make sure their babysitter, other family members, teachers, school nurse and even bus driver know your child has diabetes, in case they ever need to help them with treatment. If your child participates in sports, his or her coach should be trained on the use of glucagon, a lifesaving rescue medication in case someone has a seizure from low blood sugar, Kagan says. It’s helpful to let your child’s good friends know as well. If they notice their friend acting more irritable than usual, they can tell a teacher or other adult in charge to check what’s going on, Cogen says.
Track trends on paper or electronically. “It’s difficult to spot trends when you are only seeing individual finger sticks,” Kagan says. “There are so many great apps that will analyze the individual readings in one comprehensive, easy-to-read report.” You could also use pen and paper if that works, she adds.
Ask for professional help when you need it. This can include doctors, nurses, diabetes educators, psychologists and others. For example, when a child gets a continuous glucose monitor for the first time, Cogen strongly recommends that he or she work with a certified diabetes educator to learn to use it properly. Psychologists and counselors can help both children with diabetes and their family members. “Sometimes, it’s not about measuring insulin but about dealing with feelings,” Cogen says.
If you have a teen with diabetes, find a time once a week to review and discuss blood sugar patterns or trends. Teens with Type 1 diabetes have been shown to have trouble following their diabetes treatment regimens, Kagan says. Of course, they’re also at an age when it’s important to learn self-care. “This is why it is so important for parents to find the right balance between handing over the reins and not letting go,” she says. Kagan encourages a weekly check-in for parents to make sure the teen is on the right track — and to identify any health problems before they become more serious.
[See: The 12 Best Diets to Prevent and Manage Diabetes.]
Find positive ways to motivate your teen. Kagan has seen teens do well when they earn an extra allowance for checking their blood sugar a set number of times a day. She also sometimes recommends writing a contract so teens know exactly what is expected of them.
Once your child is old enough, make sure they always check their blood sugar before driving. This could help avoid accidents, Kagan says.
Teach your child about appropriate food choices. This is something you and a certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian can help your child learn. By addressing healthy eating while they’re young, it will make it easier for them to choose wisely when they are more independent.
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12 Ways to Better Manage Your Child’s Diabetes originally appeared on usnews.com
