Diabetic Teens
Tips for Parents
Every parent of a diabetic teen knows that adolescence complicates diabetes. First, hormones and growth spurts will cause blood sugar levels to swing up and down erratically. Second, teens test limits, and they will use their diabetes to do some testing. The consequences of these facts will at best make your teenager grumpy, angry, or distant, at worst give them seizures and/or a hospital stay.
Here are a few tips to help parents of diabetic adolescents navigate through the teen years:
- Let him know that he doesn't have to be perfect, just cautious. Show them how they can use the discipline and control of diabetes care to gain strength and mastery in other parts of their lives. If your teen knows when his levels are good, then he can binge at the pizza parlor every once in a while and still have control.
- Be realistic. Accept the fact that you can't watch over your teen all of the time.
- Use an Action Plan to help your teen recognize what needs to be done and get into the routine. Let him know that you are willing to turn over the reigns of his care to him once he gets into this routine.
- Don't jump on their back every time their blood sugar goes sky high. It may not mean that they binged, it may be an upcoming growth spurt. Keep monitoring and call their doctor to make adjustments in their routine.
- Get your child involved in diabetes support groups, such as camps or local groups, where he or she can meet other teens with diabetes.
- Make peer pressure work for you. If your teen should find a friend that lives in another town who is also a diabetic, take the extra time to get them together.
- Let your teen make as many decisions about their care as possible. They need to own this disease, it is theirs, not ours, so let them control it as much as possible.
- Don't let the disease define who your teenager is. It shouldn't be the topic of discussion at dinner every single night. Use positive praise on the other things that your teen may be doing, get them involved in other activities that they excel in. Teens are in the middle of an identity crisis. Give them more answers to the question, 'Who am I?' besides 'I am a diabetic.'
Links Around About
Diabetes Goes To School
Sending your child with diabetes to school can be frightening and confusing. Here are a few tips to help take the stress and worry out of back to school time.The Importance of Home Monitoring
Proven that good control prevents future complications, monitoring your blood glucose at home is vital.
at the Parenting of Adolescents Site |
