Teenagers with Diabetes

A diagnosis of diabetes in a teenager can pull apart their fragile self-esteem.

More than anything else, teenagers need to be given hope and hear messages of optimism. They are struggling with their own identity, fitting in with their peer group, and struggling to show their independence. Now more than ever, they need the love and support of those who have already experienced what is happening to them. Positive examples should be put in front of them; they need optimism at this point. They need to believe that they can still have a healthy and fulfilled life or they may slip into depression. If that happens, it will make it even more difficult to cope with controlling their blood sugar levels.  The support your teen receives at this critical time of their life will have a huge impact on how your teen adjusts to the diagnosis.

The fears and feelings that come with the diagnosis of diabetes will affect the teens but also the parents. As a parent you may find thinking: What will I tell them? What will I tell the school, family, baby-sitters, and friends? Will my child be able to live a normal life of playing with friends, staying overnight at a friend’s house, or be able to take part in sports?

Suddenly you are faced with testing blood sugar levels, injections, changing the way you and your child eat, and how do you cope? These and other questions are common among parents with newly diagnosed childhood disease. A parent should connect with other parents who have gone through the same feelings when their child was diagnosed. Support groups that put you in touch with other parents coping with the disease and help you to find some of the answers to your questions. It will help to know you are not alone. By sharing experiences, you will find your anxiety and fear fade away.

They may be learning new methods, start healthier diets, and learn to control the disease. Parents and teens both may not be allowed to voice their concerns, their anger, and even grief. They may be so pushed to learn control methods, how to give injections, warning signs to look for, and the complications that could occur, they may not have time to grieve for the life they would have lived.

It’s ok for teens and parents to ask, "Why me? Did I do something that caused the disease in my child? Did I eat too many sweet foods?" If these questions are not addressed and answered, it may make it difficult for both parents and teens to cope with their diagnosis. Teens may look to their parents for answers, and parents may be so overwhelmed they have a difficult time answering the questions teens have.

Diabetes requires good health care by the family and the doctor in charge of the disease. If you learn all you can about the disease, it will help when you visit the doctor to ask direct questions, and understand what the doctor is telling you. Your child’s health team and the family must work together for the best results.

Tell your child’s school so they will be aware of any special cares, needs, or any potential issues that may arise while your child is at school. It’s important so they may keep a watchful eye on lunches served, and lunches traded, or even school activities where snacks are brought in.

You will probably be required to give insulin injections, understand the purpose of insulin, the different delivery systems available.  Manufactured insulin works differently for each person. Your doctor may need to experiment to find the best manufactured insulin to use, or a combination of insulin that will best match what their bodies produce.

Sugar substitutes, special recipes, sugar-free candy all are helpful in allowing children with diabetes to live a more normal life. Eating healthy well-balanced meals in the right amounts will help keep your child’s blood glucose levels where they should be. Exercise is important for your child, and by making exercise a fun family time, it will make it seem more like play than working on their diabetes.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation sponsors and on-line support team made up of both adults and other teens that have diabetes. A person-to-person team will help support teens and parents while facing the challenges of learning to control blood sugar levels. There may be local groups that you can join to get personal support locally.

There are many useful sites on the Internet for parents, children, and teens to help cope with diabetes. You and your child or teen may connect with others who have gone through similar experiences, fears, and other issues.Teenagers will be able to talk to other teens about their experiences of dating, school, driving, and other teen related problems.

If your teen starts sinking into despair, you need to stay positive. There are new techniques being developed every year and the cure for diabetes could be just around the corner. Talk to them about the many famous and successful people that have lived their dream even with having the disease and complications of diabetes. Our teens are at the point in their life where they are looking for the future, if they need help with emotional issues, please contact a trained specialist to help them and you cope with this


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