IF YOUR child has juvenile diabetes, you can help them feel their best. Your child’s endocrine system has an important job to do. It’s responsible for creating and regulating the hormones their body uses to control their metabolism and development.
When your child has juvenile diabetes, the hormone (insulin) that regulates metabolism is off balance. But there’s good news.
“If your child was recently diagnosed or has been living with diabetes, there are some key things you can do to help them manage it,” says Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed Godil, a specialist in pediatric endocrinology at Geisinger.
Helping a child live with diabetes goes beyond teaching them to manage it. It’s also about helping them make healthy food choices, get regular physical activity and maybe even cope with social factors at school.
It takes a team — but when you’re all working together, your child can manage their diabetes while still enjoying being a kid. The first step? Work with your child’s school.
“Start by letting staff know that your child has diabetes, Dr. Godil says. “This may mean that they need to visit the nurse’s office more often to test their blood or eat a snack during class to manage their blood sugar levels.”
A key school player you might not think of: Your child’s physical education instructor. Gym teachers need to keep an eye on your child’s activity level needs and know what to watch for if your child’s sugar drops during class.
While eating raises blood sugar levels, exercising can lower them, so keeping everyone at your child’s school in the loop is an important part of their care.
Even a young child can start to learn to manage their blood sugar levels correctly. So be sure to talk with them about the signs of a drop or spike in blood sugar.
“The symptoms can be different from one child to another, so if you notice your child acts or looks a certain way, let them know — as well as their teachers,” says Dr. Godil.
Is your kid sensitive to what others say to them? If so, it could impact what they do. For example, if others comment on your child checking their blood sugar levels, they might stop checking them.
“Talk with your child about bullying and tell them they can always come to you if they’re being picked on,” says Dr. Godil.
