Last Updated on December 11, 2024
Being a parent is a full-time job for adults. From school to playtime to taking care of children – the list goes on. But, if your child suffers from diabetes, you’ll have more things to do for them. Keep in mind that diabetes in children isn’t the child’s illness, but also that of the family.
With that said, it’s easy to fall into pitfalls that come with caring for a diabetic child. Chances are, you’ll be more tired and frustrated if you’re not sure what to do. But don’t worry! We got you covered!
This article will show you the 10 common mistakes when caring for a child with diabetes, and how to avoid those mistakes at all costs.
1. No Proper Storage For Insulin
Diabetic patients need to have insulin kept in a safe place, where the medicine won’t spoil or “not work.” This is especially true when a child is experiencing diabetes – they need their medicine to work.
Therefore, keep insulin as cool as possible, but don’t freeze it, or leave it in the sun. You don’t want the insulin too warm or too cold. When traveling, you can place the medicine in a cooler.
2. Feeling Self-Blame
Don’t ever blame yourself for your child having diabetes. While this diagnosis can be debilitating to parents everywhere, that doesn’t mean that it’s your fault – it’s no one’s fault. Focus on the here and now, to help your child move forward with his or her life despite the disease. When they move forward, you should too. Staying positive is crucial and great for your overall mental health.
3. Labelling Your Child As “Special”
Just because your child is diagnosed with diabetes, doesn’t mean that you have to treat it as a special case. Yes, it’s easy to try and put your kid in a box, or label them, as a diabetic individual. However, that’s not healthy for either you or the child. While your child’s doctor is the one to officially diagnose your child, that doesn’t mean that you should adapt that “label.”
Instead, treat your child as if there was no diagnosis. Despite the diagnosis, there is no reason why the child shouldn’t live a normal life – without labels.
4. Not Taking Care Of Yourself
While caring for your child may seem a lot of work, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t care for yourself every so often. Instead, make time to treat yourself – have a special dinner, watch a movie, visit friends, etc. Make sure you’re taking your medication every day (if applicable). Refresh and relax every once in a while. In these ways, you’ll feel better.
5. Micromanaging What Your Child Eats
While food is a big topic revolving around diabetes, it’s still important to not turn into the food police, meaning that you HAVE to control every morsel your child eats. Denying your child certain foods can create unhealthy eating habits like overindulgence or sneaking food. Your child’s diet will be a critical part of managing your child’s diabetes condition.
Instead, encourage moderation, instead of stigma. Should anything happen when your child is eating, you can always seek medical help right away.
6. Not Spending Time With Your Other Children
If you have more than one child, then it’s easy to neglect your other children while caring for your child with diabetes. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. As mentioned before, diabetes in a child is a FAMILY issue – meaning that no one is alone in the situation. So, be sure to give your other children a healthy amount of attention, as you would with the child with diabetes.
7. Babying Your Child
Whether you’re a first-time parent, or already been down the road with other children, you feel that it’s important to care for your children. That’s understandable. Though, you mustn’t baby them either. As they grow up, your child will want freedom and independence. While you can’t change their diabetes, you can change their outlook in life. Let them have fun. Let them have friends. Let them be themselves.
8. Monitoring Your Child At Night
Nighttime is supposed to be relaxing. But, if you check on your child every so often, not only will you grow frustrated, but you’ll also grow very tired come morning.
Instead, check on your child when they go to bed, and when they’re fully asleep. That should be all the assurance you need to calm your fears. If desired, you can set an alarm to get up and test your child. Also consider using diabetes related technology such as a continuous glucose monitoring device. This allows you as a parent, to monitor your child’s glucose levels.
9. Making Treatment Decisions For Your Child
It’s understandable if your child is young. Therefore, you’ll need to be there to make the decisions revolving around treatment.
However, if your child is old enough to know how to care for themselves, then allow them to pick which treatment they’re comfortable with. At the end of the day, it’s their body – if they’re old enough to understand what’s going on, then let them tell you what they’re feeling.
This takes us to the final point …
10. Too Much Controlling
Finally, it’s important to NOT be in control of the disease 100%. Why? Well, the truth is, as mentioned before, it’s your child’s body, not yours. There are many things that you can’t control, when it comes to how your child is feeling, when they have diabetes.
While this truth may be a hard pill to swallow, that doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything about it – OR HAVE to do a multitude of things to try and resolve it. While you’ll still need to have your child go to their doctor visits and take their insulin regularly, it’s still important to let them live their life the way that they want to. That means loosening up, whenever your child wants to go to parties, hang out with friends, or participate in a fun activity. Even when your child is going off to college, you can still be certain that they bring their insulin with them, and that they keep up with their doctor visits.
Conclusion
While caring for a child with diabetes isn’t always easy, it’s still important to love and care for them no matter what. Plus, it’s imperative to keep the conversation open, and to be as honest with them as possible.
By avoiding the 10 pitfalls discussed in this article, not only will you be on top of your child’s diabetes effectively, but your child will thank you for it. Remember: Diabetes is a family disease – just hang in there!
