Diabetes requires adjustments for all members of the family

When a child is diagnosed with diabetes it undoubtedly will affect the entire family. Much attention is usually given to the child with type 1 to ensure proper diabetes management. But less attention is often given to the siblings of the diagnosed child. It is not uncommon for there to be feelings of neglect, anger and favoritism that arise in siblings.



Siblings can adjust to diabetes in their home if parents create a supportive environment that addresses the needs of all the children, not just the one with diabetes.

 

Here are some tips for parents on how to manage the responses of siblings to the changing family dynamic of living with diabetes.

Explain diabetes in terms they can understand

It is important that you clearly explain what diabetes is and how it works to each of the children in age-appropriate language. This will help calm fears and enable them to normalize the diabetes management process much faster.

 

For example, one of the big misconceptions that siblings often have after a brother or sister is diagnosed with diabetes is that they will “catch it.” They need to clearly understand that diabetes is not contagious and that close contact with their sibling is not dangerous. In fact, you can even emphasize that when the diabetes tasks are completed, it might be easy to forget that their sibling even has diabetes.

Look for opportunities to probe the feelings of your children

Initially, siblings adjust to diabetes with some intrigue, wanting to understand what it is about. But within a few weeks most siblings would like life to go back to “normal” before the diabetes came to live in the home. This causes a wide range of feelings in kids. The goal is to listen for these emotions and coax them out when appropriate.

 

For example, suppose your non-diabetic child says he also wants to have diabetes so he can spend more time with Mom and Dad. This type of comment is full of emotion. Rather than correcting your child and instructing them about the difficulties of having diabetes, focus in on helping them talk about their feelings. You might say, “Does it seem that your brother gets more attention from Mom and Dad because of his diabetes?” An inquisitive response that attends to the emotion your child is feeling sends the message that you want them to tell you more; you want them to express their feelings and you are willing to listen.

Make a point to talk about a wide variety of topics with children

Immediately after the diagnosis it is easy for diabetes-related conversation to dominate the household interaction. While this is understandable, make an effort to broaden out the topics to include areas of interest that pertain to all members of the family. This will not only help siblings to feel their lives are important but will also help the child with diabetes to see that there is more to life than diabetes.

Limit the amount of responsibility you give regarding diabetes tasks

While it is fine to ask for sibling help now and then with diabetes-related tasks, limit the responsibilities. For example, it is okay to ask an older sibling to periodically check the younger sibling’s blood sugar, but be cautious about making this type of responsibility a routine task. Diabetes is a difficult condition to manage and can be stressful, even for teens.

Be deliberate about nurturing each child’s needs

In reality, you may end up spending more time and energy addressing the needs of your child with diabetes than the others. But this doesn’t mean you can’t make adequate time for the other children as well. Show interest in their activities and challenges. Affirm their skills, abilities and efforts. Each child will have their own unique relationship with you. Nurture it by giving them one-on-one time where there is lots of conversation and fun. This is one sure way to avoid the problem of favoritism for the child with diabetes.

 

_{Source: American Diabetes Association. "Diabetes Affects Siblings Too.”}

Diabetes In Brief for Kids

3 Helpful Ways That Can Help Kids Avoid Type 2 Diabetes

One of the most common diseases seen in children is diabetes. A child who is diagnosed with diabetes means that the kid's blood glucose levels are too high. It is not healthy for anyone to have high levels of glucose in the blood because this will result to different types of health complications like heart disease, eye problems, nerve damage and kidney issues. Most children who have this disease are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes or juvenile. However, more and more children for the last couple years have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, because of the rise of obesity.

 

Type 1 of this disease is an autoimmune disease which means it's difficult to prevent kids not to have this disease, however Type 2 diabetes can be prevented since excessive weight is the main cause for this type. This is a difficult disease for parents and children, but there are definitely a lot of helpful things that both parents and kids can do in order to prevent having this disease. Here are some three important helpful ways on how can parents help their children avoid type 2 in order to live healthier lives and enjoy their childhood:

 

1. Prevention Starts at Home

Any prevention starts at home and experts will definitely agree to this. You can help your child prevent Type 2 by controlling what your child eats. You need to educate your child about the types of food that he needs to eat in order to stay healthy. It's definitely important that you encourage your child to eat less sugar-filled foods and eat more foods that are rich in fiber. If you'll be able to start this diet at your own home, you can surely guarantee to help your kids reduce the risk of obesity because fiber helps stabilize blood glucose levels and improve cholesterol.

 

2. Kids Need To Exercise

Exercise is definitely very important in order to raise healthy kids. It's a must that you encourage your child to exercise and spend more time doing physical activities because this can help them maintain healthy weight. Keep in mind that exercise after meals definitely helps in keeping blood sugar levels normal. Try to encourage your kids that it would be great for them to spend more time playing outside rather than sitting around and watching TV.

 

 

 

3. Regular Medical Check-Ups Are Important

In order to prevent your kids to have Type 2, it's really important that you take your child to regular medical check-ups. It's always good to consult your doctor for professional advice regarding your kid's health especially if the child is overweight. You'll be able to learn more helpful things from your Doctor that's why experts recommend that regular check-ups for your child should be on your list in order to successfully prevent your child to acquire Type 2 diabetes.

It's difficult for any child to be diagnosed with Type 2 that's why parents must help their kids to prevent this disease. Just try to follow these helpful ways and you can guarantee that you will help your child prevent type 2 diabetes and make him live a healthier and much happier life. Good luck!
 

Most parents tend to get panic attacks when they find out their kids have type 2 diabetes. You should not panic and instead focus on the things that you need to in order to help in diabetes management.

 

Read The Things That You Need to Do When Your Child Has Type 2 Diabetes (at http://aaroncapp.com ) and learn the important things that you should include in your to-do list.

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