by Marjorie Wise

Created on: May 26, 2008   Last Updated: June 13, 2008

Diabetes care has changed since my son was diagnosed with Type 1 thirty years ago, but one thing that remains constant is the fear parents feel when told their child has a life threatening disease. Once you get past that initial shock it's time to focus on what you need to know to keep your child safe while still letting him be a kid. Advice from a health care team guided me from the time my son was diagnosed at six, and following that advice has made life easier and slightly less scary. Maybe some of these suggestions will work for you.

* Laying the foundation for safety comes first. Everyone who spends any amount of time with your child needs to know that he has diabetes, the warning signs of low blood sugar, what to do, and how to reach you. This includes friends, family, school, and sport team.

* Keep instant glucose on hand and glucose tablets in your child's pocket. Be sure he knows when to use them. We tried hard candy but it kept disappearing.

* Letting your child help with meal planning may make mealtime more pleasant. Offer him choices in each of the foods groups, such as applesauce, peaches, or a banana in the fruit group. "This is what we have. Which would you like for lunch?"

* You can't keep him home forever, even though you would feel better. All day play dates and sleepovers with friends will happen. Since he's learning to choose his foods, he can make those good choices when he's away from home. Let him know that it's okay to say no to an entire bag of jellybeans or chips. Sending snacks with him when he goes to a friend's house will ensure that he has what he needs and take the pressure off the other parents.

* You may feel more at ease having other kids come to your house to play, especially if your child is newly diagnosed. You can monitor activity and snacks as you and your child get used to the new rules in your lives.

* There are camps for children with diabetes. I freaked when the doctor suggested that I let my son go somewhere without me for a whole week. Was he insane? It turned out to be a blessing. Kids learn that they're not the only one, they make friends, they learn about diabetes care, they have fun, and it's a step toward independence for parent and child. It's also a welcome respite for the parents.

* Your child can not be discriminated against at school. By law, anyway. Be aware of your child's rights if discrimination occurs. Don't let him miss out on activities just because he has diabetes.

* Get to know other parents of diabetic kids. Just talking to another parent who understands is sheer bliss. You'll meet parents when you take your child to diabetic camp or look for a support group in your area. You can't imagine how helpful this is until you do it. There are online support resources but sometimes you need a hug to go along with the talk.

Learning all you can and being pro-active is the best way to get through the childhood years. It gets easier as your child learns to take more responsibility for his diabetes. Hang in there.

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