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Advice from the mother of a child with diabetes
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While most kids are able to enjoy a carefree life, a child with diabetes always has to be on alert to their physical condition, diet and moods and testing blood sugar is something that must be done several times daily. It’s a much different existence than for a child who can play and eat candy and ice cream all day without giving it a second thought. And there is currently no cure for the chronic disease.
That said, medical advances have enabled kids to take part in more activities, improved blood sugar level monitoring procedures and have provided a pump worn by many patients that replaces painful insulin shots.
Diabetes has been growing in recent years and we often hear how Type 2 Diabetes is on the rise due to obesity, poor diets and inactivity. About 186,300 youths age 18 and under in this country have diabetes, and most have Type 1 Diabetes (formerly known as juvenile diabetes), which has a different cause, often heredity.
Samantha Siems, 14, of Cedar Lake, Indiana was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes three years ago. She has an identical sister who doesn’t have the disease. Her mother, Michelle Siems, wonders if a virus that hit her just before her diagnosis may have caused the onset.
When it was discovered she had the disease, her sugar levels were in the 600-700 range. She ended up in the hospital for two weeks to get her sugar levels under control and learn to manage the disease.
At the time of her diagnosis, she had been displaying symptoms that her mother said she didn’t recognize. (See the end of this article for a list of symptoms.)
Having a child with diabetes affects the entire family, Michelle said. Family meals and schedules have to be adjusted and siblings are able to eat things that the child with diabetes can’t.
Michelle said that you often have to inform other adults about the disease. They need to know that a child with diabetes is still capable of doing many things, like playing sports. You also have to remind them that it is a serious disease and that not treating it properly can be life-threatening.
She said that having a pump to automatically administer insulin has made the disease a bit easier to deal with.
Encouraging your child to continue normal activities is crucial, but sympathizing with their sadness of having the chronic disease is also important.
Siems said support groups are scarce in her area, but seeking them out can be helpful. Check around in your area to find support group. Do an online search or check with your local hospitals.
Here are some quick facts about Diabetes from the American Diabetes Association:
• Of the 24 million people (8%) in the United States (U.S.) with diabetes, 5-10% have type 1 diabetes.
• About 186,300 youth ages 18 and under have diabetes in the U.S. The majority of them have Type 1 Diabetes.
• Each year, about 15,000 youth ages 20 and under are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the U.S.
• Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented.
• There is no cure for diabetes.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes:
• Feeling tired, sick (flu-like)
• Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain
• Sudden weight loss
• Extreme hunger
• Excessive thirst, frequent urination
• Blurred vision
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