by Marilyn Helton
Focus On The Future
This column is dedicated to a heightened awareness of diabetes in our nation's children. Type 1 (formerly known as juvenile-onset diabetes), used to be the kind of diabetes associated with childhood. Today, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing among children and adolescents. In fact, type 2 diabetes, which used to be called adult-onset diabetes, is so prevalent among youngsters that it is no longer referred to as adult-onset diabetes.
The incidence of type 2 diabetes in children has risen significantly in recent years, along with a high prevalence of obesity. According to researchers at the recent meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Seattle, Washington, abnormally high insulin levels are showing up in children as young as four years old. In addition, 13 percent of 147 children tested had abnormal liver-function tests, according to reports.
Parenting or caring for a child with diabetes is not easy. The good news is that there are numerous health care professionals, authors, and organizations reaching out to communities and families with practical advice and tips on healthy eating and physical activities for children and teens with diabetes. Better educated is better informed, and there is a wealth of good information available for surviving the devastating statistics of juvenile diabetes.
* * * * * * * *
THE TEN KEYS TO HELPING YOUR CHILD GROW UP WITH DIABETES is a good starting point. According to author Tim Wysocki, Ph.D., parents and caregivers need to understand the psychological impact of diabetes in order to learn the practical coping skills needed to overcome common hurdles children and their families encounter.
In pyramid format, Wysocki identifies ten fundamental tasks or "keys" needed
to make a healthy adjustment to managing childhood diabetes. Beginning with a broad base of Diabetes Knowledge, the steps up the pyramid are followed by Emotional Coping, Family Communication, Family Sharing of Diabetes Responsibilities, Managing Stress, Treatment Adherence, Diabetes Problem Solving, Social Skills, School Adjustment, up to the tip of the pyramid, which he identifies as Relating to Health Professionals.
The "Resources" chapter at the end of the book neatly ties each identified task
with additional reading for those interested in more detailed discussions of the issues raised in each chapter. TEN KEYS TO HELPING YOUR CHILD GROW UP WITH DIABETES, © 1997 by the American Diabetes Association, Inc., is a practical and very helpful guide for parents and caregivers of children with diabetes.
* * * * * * * *
Are you wrestling with how to balance diabetes control and good nutrition with family peace? If you are, SWEET KIDS (Second Edition) may have the answers you're seeking. Each chapter begins with a story of a child with diabetes, to help introduce you the book's topics. Balancing food, exercise, and insulin can be the most demanding issue for parents in the life of a child with diabetes. From what to fix for a toddler's breakfast to preparing a teenager to care for his diabetes wisely away from home, this book helps parents and caregivers make informed decisions for management of the diabetic child.
In practical language, SWEET KIDS is an easy-to-understand book that gives the reader more information about:
Healthy eating and feeding for your family
Nutrition and meal planning in diabetes
Food, diabetes, and proper development
Techniques for caregivers of diabetic children
SWEET KIDS is co-authored by Betty Page Brackenridge, MS, RD, CDE, and Richard R. Rubin, PhD, CDE, © 2002 by the American Diabetes Association, Inc.
* * * * * * * *
TYPE 2 DIABETES IN TEENS, a great new publication by Jean Betschart-Roemer, MSN, CPNP, CDE, will help your teen get a handle on diabetes to get on with life!
More and more teens are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and this book is written to let your teenagers know they're not alone. It's a given that teens diagnosed with type 2 diabetes struggle not only with their diagnosis, but with their diabetes treatment as well. TYPE 2 DIABETES IN TEENS was written to help teens and parents better understand and cope with the challenges of this chronic disease.
Accenting the importance of good self-care, and following the treatment plan, the book gives good information on living well, including such topics as:
How to keep blood sugar in control
What to do when you get cravings
How to manage your diabetes in school
What to say to your friends and your dates
How to balance exercise and food when you take insulin
Where to find help when you need it
Ways to eat healthier
How to be patient with yourself and enjoy life
There's also a special section of tips and suggestions for parents, designed to help families support their teens in the management of their diabetes and show them how to have a positive outlook on life.
TYPE 2 DIABETES IN TEENS is a 2002 publication by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
* * * * * * * *
A GUIDE TO RAISING A CHILD WITH DIABETES, Second Edition, by Linda M. Siminerio, RN, PhD, CDE, and Jean Betschart MN, MSN, CPNP, CDE, will help you learn how to help your child cope with diabetes. Focusing on the latest advances in diabetes care, including plenty of problem-solving examples and easy-to-read tables throughout, you'll learn how to help your child:
Adjust insulin to allow for foods kids like to eat
Have a busy schedule and still feel healthy and strong
Negotiate the twists and turns of being "different"
Accept the physical and emotional challenges life has to offer
Filled with the most up-to-date information, this second edition also features updated management sections, including expanded information on nutrition and insulin; coverage of Lispro, a newer type of insulin recommended for children who won't always eat what's put before them; treatment for children with type 2 diabetes; and a cartoon section to help you talk with your child.
In her own words, author Siminerio states the most important thing we need to know about diabetes is, "Diabetes is a very difficult everyday lifestyle disease, so you can never forget it. That's a huge barrier for patients. It's not like a disease where you can take a pill and then forget about it for the rest of the day. With diabetes, it affects every moment of every day of your life."
Dr. Siminerio continues that knowledge alone is not enough, "...we learned through trial and error, that teaching patients means more than that. We need to assess how they live. We need to be flexible. We used to have these rigid plans. Ten years ago, before the DCCT [study was published] we used to tell our pediatric patients, 'Well, you just can't have candy.' Guess what? They were eating candy. And they were hiding it, and we called them [on it]--that they cheated--and it was terrible. And now we know we need to learn what patients with diabetes like, how they live, and then work these into their lifestyle. We can't abolish all of these things from their life, but we need to learn how to individualize a plan."
On the very insightful words of Dr. Simenerio, I rest my case for surviving the statistics of diabetes.
Until we meet again in October, may you each be able to live each day in your most positive attitude, one day at a time, in harmony with your diagnosis of diabetes!
Marilyn Helton, diabetic since 1993, is the publisher of CINNAMON HEARTS: THE ART OF LIVING A WINNING DIABETIC LIFESTYLE, a positive-power E-zine for diabetics and their families. Visit the CINNAMON HEARTS Web site: www.cinnamonhearts.com.