When my now 17 year old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes about three years ago, his attitude was, “Okay, what do I have to do”. He has been very responsible, has been on an insulin pump for year, but now, I find he is very moody. Today I discovered that, for the past week, he is not checking his blood sugar levels as often as he should be and his blood sugar levels are very high. I have spoken to him about this and the complications that can occur. He seems to listen to me, but sometimes I think he is just tuning me out. He is a senior in high school now, and I don’t understand his attitude at times. Is this normal for a boy his age?

If I read your question correctly, your son was first diagnosed at age 14. That has been three years, and I imagine he is tired of the endless management around diabetes. The insulin pump frees him up substantially, but it is not entirely safe to use a pump and cease checking blood sugars. In fact, in my opinion, it is dangerous. Does he know how to bolus? How does he decide how much insulin he requires?

I strongly urge you to seek input from his diabetes doctor and educators. He may be becoming depressed or adopting a view that “the pump is in charge” of his blood sugar management. A visit with a skillful therapist could be needed to discover exactly what is going on inside your son.

CMB