A child's diagnosis of type 1 diabetes is overwhelming for parents. Aside from the health concerns, there is a lot to learn and a lot of lifestyle changes to implement at home. Managing blood sugar levels, preparing healthy meals, preparing for hypoglycemia, and managing emotions are just the tip of the iceberg.
But you are not alone. In Germany, over 4,000 children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes every year. With the right tools and good practices, as well as strong support, children with type 1 diabetes can have a completely safe and healthy childhood.
Here is a detailed guide for parents whose child has recently been diagnosed with diabetes.
Recognizing warning signs of type 1 diabetes in children
As a parent, it is essential to recognize the signs and symptoms of diabetes in children early on in order to guide your child safely through childhood should they develop diabetes. As a parent of a child with diabetes, you need to be extra vigilant and pay attention to the signs that tell you when something is wrong. If your child has type 1 diabetes, there are two situations that you absolutely need to keep an eye on:
hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is when blood sugar levels are too low (below 70 mg/dL). It can occur suddenly for a variety of reasons, such as too much insulin, too few carbohydrates, physical activity, and others.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia include shakiness, sweating, headache, paleness, hunger, rapid heartbeat, irritability, dizziness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, tingling in the mouth and others. When blood sugar levels are very low, symptoms may worsen and your child may be confused, have difficulty coordinating, have difficulty speaking, have blurred vision or, in extreme cases, even lose consciousness and have seizures.
In most cases, your child's blood sugar will rise and the symptoms will disappear after taking fast-acting sugar (juice, candy, glucose tablets, glucose tablets, fruit, etc.). If your child does not respond to this treatment and the blood sugar level does not return to normal, you must see a doctor quickly.
hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia is the opposite scenario, where blood sugar is too high (over 180 mg/dL). This can happen if your child with type 1 diabetes has missed an insulin dose, eaten too many carbohydrates, has an infection or is sick, is exercising less than usual, is experiencing a lot of stress or emotional changes, or other things.
The symptoms of hyperglycemia vary and not every child can perceive them. They include thirst, fruity smelling breath, headache, frequent urination, dry mouth, blurred vision, shortness of breath, weakness and others. Severe hyperglycemia or hyperglycemia that lasts too long can lead to severe symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and in the worst cases even confusion and loss of consciousness.
The endocrinologist overseeing your child's diabetes treatment should have provided you with a hyperglycemia protocol. In most cases, a bolus of rapid-acting insulin or an increase in basal insulin is sufficient to lower blood sugar. However, severe hyperglycemia or hyperglycemia with ketones may require immediate medical attention.
Recognizing the signs of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia in your child is the very first and one of the most important steps toward a safe childhood with diabetes .
diabetes in childhood
A child's diagnosis of diabetes brings major changes for everyone in the family. It requires medical care, daily administrative tasks, new vocabulary, new equipment, constant vigilance, healthy meal preparation, physical activity, emotional support, and much more.
Good news for all parents: Despite initial challenges, a happy childhood with diabetes is possible. Sure, there are a few things to consider, but with the right approach, you can give your children a positive and exciting experience. Here are some tips on how to best guide your children through a safe and healthy childhood with diabetes:
Don't miss your child's doctor's appointments
Caring for a child with diabetes means a lot of doctor's appointments . Your child will need to meet regularly with their diabetes nurse, family doctor and endocrinologist, have regular blood tests and pick up insulin and diabetes supplies from the pharmacy on a monthly or sometimes even weekly basis.
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease that lasts a lifetime. If well managed, it shouldn't affect your child's health. A few months after diagnosis, you may think that you and your child are managing diabetes. That's fantastic. But you should still keep doctor's appointments.
The diabetes team is here to help. The endocrinologist and diabetes nurses help the family. They make sure your child gets the latest and best treatments . They adjust the insulin dose and check for signs of complications.
As a parent, it is important that your child manages their diabetes well. This means following a good plan and seeing their doctor regularly.
Familiarize yourself with insulin pumps and diabetes supplies
Diabetes is a whole new world to explore now. At first , you may feel completely overwhelmed by all the new jargon your pediatrician is using: catheters, tubes, IV sites, CGMs, lancets, strips, reservoirs, auto-injectors, cartridges, smart insulin pens, priming, basal insulin, boluses, and dozens of other strange words you've never heard of.
You and your child need to familiarize yourself with diabetes vocabulary and resources . Don't hesitate to ask the doctors or nurses if you don't understand something. And don't worry, you will learn quickly and become a diabetes expert, believe me!
Depending on how old your child is, you may need to help them with daily diabetes tasks , including checking blood sugar (with a continuous glucose monitor - CGM or a simple stick glucose meter), attaching, changing and operating an insulin pump, injecting with syringes or auto-injectors, using ketone urine strips and more.
Check your child's blood sugar regularly
To guide your child through a healthy childhood, you need to check his blood sugar levels frequently (or rather, very frequently!). As a caring parent, your child's blood sugar levels may become an obsession . This is normal and good. However, be careful not to put too much pressure on yourself or your child.
With diabetes, it's important to keep an eye on blood sugar levels. Sometimes your child will need help checking their blood sugar levels. It depends on how old they are and what device they're using.
Typically, children with type 1 diabetes are advised to check their blood sugar at least four times a day . Ideally, blood sugar should be checked before and after each meal, and when there are signs of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. If your child uses a continuous glucose monitor, checking blood sugar is much easier, faster and less invasive than using a lancing device.
Sometimes parents of children with type 1 diabetes wake up in the middle of the night to monitor their child's blood sugar levels. This is especially necessary if the child's blood sugar levels are too low or too high before bedtime, or if the child is sick, for example.
How can parents best support their child with type 1 diabetes?
In addition to medical help, you also need to make lifestyle changes and get emotional support. A healthy childhood with diabetes also means preparing for emergencies, eating healthy, exercising and making sure the child's environment is well-supported.
Always be prepared for hypoglycemia
There is nothing worse for a child than seeing their parents panicking. Parents should be the ones to calm the child down. But you never know when hypoglycemia will occur and this situation is stressful by nature, so it is advisable to always be prepared for the next event of your child's hypoglycemia.
Whether you're running quick errands at the local store, picking up your kid from school, driving to the pharmacy, going to the beach, or spending a day at Disneyland , you should always have a fast-acting sugar with you (not just in the car).
If your child has a hypoglycemic attack while on the go, you can help quickly and calmly without causing additional stress.
If your child spends the day without you, whether at school, at a friend's house, or elsewhere, put a quick-acting sugar in his or her bag and inform the adult in charge .
Remember that fast-acting sugar can be found in things like fruit juices, applesauce pouches, sodas, or glucose tablets.
Prepare healthy meals for your children with diabetes
A healthy diet, with balanced meals, is important so that your child with diabetes can lead a normal life.
There are no banned foods for children with type 1 diabetes, nor is there a "diabetic diet for kids." But everything your child eats can affect blood sugar levels . So there are many things to consider when preparing meals, including counting carbs. It's all about nutrition, balance, and bolus!
As a rule of thumb, avoid industrially prepared foods and always prefer home-cooked meals with fresh ingredients . Try to avoid fast food as much as possible.
Control snacking between meals or give an insulin bolus if needed. Make sure your child eats enough fruits and vegetables, as well as proteins and carbohydrates (these should make up about 50-60% of daily calories).
Your child's diet should be balanced, but you can make exceptions from time to time.
Remember, your child is a child before he or she becomes diabetic . As such, he or she must be able to enjoy the occasional friend's birthday cake, popcorn movie nights, and burger parties. But don't forget the extra bolus!
If you are having difficulty balancing your child's diet, you should seek the advice of a doctor or nutritionist . Cooking for children with diabetes is not easy. It is a skill that needs to be learned. You will soon become an expert at counting carbohydrates!
Promote physical activity among children
Physical activity is crucial for good diabetes management and blood sugar control. While most children are physically active, encouraging your child's activity is even more important with type 1 diabetes .
Exercise helps control blood sugar levels by increasing insulin sensitivity and has a direct impact on the overall health of a diabetic. Exercise and physical activity also help improve your child's mood, reduce diabetes-related stress, and boost their self-confidence.
As a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes , help them find activities they enjoy . Enroll your child in sports and summer camps. Encourage as many outdoor family activities as possible after school and on weekends, such as riding bikes, jumping rope, playing ball in the yard, walking the dog, going on adventures, etc.
While regular physical activity is important, there are some precautions to take in diabetic children. Exercise can cause hypoglycemia , so it is important to check blood sugar levels before, during and after activity.
Make sure your child has consumed enough carbohydrates before exercise, and always pack a fast-acting sugar and hypo kit in their gym bag. If your child participates in organized activities, always inform the coach about diabetes and teach them what to do in the event of hypoglycemia.
Some parents of type 1 children ask their children to wear a diabetic emergency bracelet , which is a great safety measure in case of an emergency.
Physical activity can be scary if your child has diabetes, but both the health and mental health benefits outweigh the risks here.
Work with school staff
Diabetes never takes a break, and your child needs to manage his or her disease just as well at school as at home.
Children with diabetes can go to school. They can do everything that other children do, including sports. They can achieve just as much as children without diabetes if they follow a few rules and stick to their therapy.
Parents should talk to the kindergarten or school about the illness. Parents should explain to the educational staff what signs their child shows when they have hypoglycemia. This can vary from child to child. If everyone is well informed, the child can go to kindergarten or school. Training for the staff at the kindergarten and school can also help.
For example, the staff should allow your child to eat and drink during class if they need to, as a special arrangement. Your child should also be allowed to have their blood sugar checked at school.
Support your diabetic child emotionally
Diabetes is hard on children. In addition to all the medical problems, this chronic disease also brings with it a number of emotional problems .
Young people with diabetes often feel different, alone, and excluded from friends and classmates. Later, teenagers with type 1 diabetes may go through a phase where they pretend they don't have diabetes and skip their treatment.
Children with type 1 diabetes or another chronic illness often feel sad, guilty, angry, frustrated, anxious or restless. Sometimes they are even depressed. These feelings are normal and understandable. But they should only be temporary.
If your child has diabetes, you need to understand and deal with his or her feelings. Ask questions, acknowledge them, and talk to your child about them. If you don't know what to do, get professional help. Many diabetics seek help from a psychologist.
Treat your child as you would any other child. This way, he or she will not feel disabled or different. Do normal things, travel with diabetes, go on adventures and go camping. Make sure that diabetes adapts to your lifestyle, not the other way around.
Where can parents and diabetic children find support?
Finding out your child has diabetes is scary, and most parents feel completely lost at first because they have so many questions, worries, and doubts about their child's health. If you're feeling devastated or overwhelmed, you're not alone. Diabetes affects thousands of children in Germany, and families usually stick together and support each other.
diabetes training for children and families
Diabetes training courses are available nationwide in Germany, and they are a wonderful way to get in touch with people who have the same problems . Diabetes training courses are usually organized by associations that focus on diabetes management in their activities and workshops.
Diabetes education is a good way to find professional and peer support, both for parents and children.
self-help groups for type 1 parents
Support groups for parents of children with type 1 diabetes are a good and safe place to exchange experiences, ask questions, share fears and worries, and get advice from other parents.
You can join support groups for type 1 parents online, for example on Facebook, or in person. The German Diabetes Help organization has compiled a list of support groups for parents.
You can also ask your diabetes healthcare team if there are support groups in your area.
Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong chronic disease and diagnosis is a real challenge for the whole family. But with good medical care, thorough treatment and great support, type 1 children can live as healthy and happy lives as any other child.
Please share your experiences, concerns and advice below!
