CWD News
Cool Tools for Diabetes
There are so many newer tools that can help you manage diabetes and it can be hard to keep up with what options are available. There are also companies that let you personalize your diabetes devices and add a little fun and whimsy into your life. Here are some that we know about – Glucose Displays There are a couple of options that allow for quick, easy visualization of the range of glucose your loved one with diabetes is currently experiencing. Glowcose – A small glowing display that changes color based on the glucose level. The thresh-olds are personalized and […]
Read More
Expectations versus Reality of Glucose Monitoring
Shaping Expectations at Diagnosis I feel very fortunate to not have much memory of my diagnosis. I was only 2 years old, and the only memories I have include a vague vision of a hospital room and my experience talking to my first diabetes psychologist. The diabetes psychologist memory is more vivid, and I remember coloring in a large room at a little toddler sized table and chair while a lady asked me questions. I remember thinking, “Why is she asking me questions? All I want to do is color.” What I do know about my family’s diagnosis experience I’ve […]
Read More
Transforming Diabetes Education: Inside the Friends for Life Fellows Experience
The Friends for Life Fellows program was designed to help give healthcare professionals in training some very hands-on diabetes training. These are not necessarily specific skills, but more of a “diabetes-in-the-wild” and the reality of what living with diabetes looks like for the whole family experience. This past year, I had the privilege of coordinating the Fellows program for FFL, which was a really rewarding experience. What are fellows? In general, in medicine, fellows are physicians in training who are almost attending providers – those who you call “Doctor.” For the purposes of FFL, we want to make sure it […]
Read More
Musings from a Diabetes Mom Slacker (Back-to-School edition)
There. I said it. I said it in the title of this article and I mean it. I am a diabetes mom slacker and I haven’t prepared the first thing in our diabetes tool kit. School starts in less than a week and I am totally at peace with my status in life right now. “Ten-years-ago Leigh” would never have had this level of “diabetes chill” and would have likely started the back-to-school panic the second that kids got out of school for summer vacation. In fact, that Leigh would be in a next-level panic right now because not only […]
Read More
Dealing with Diabetes Tech Adhesives
Diabetes technologies hope to improve both diabetes management and the burden that goes along with it. Countless studies have shown that use of these technologies can do both things, but they are not without their challenges. The Panther Program from the Barbara Davis Center has a lot of great resources including their page about Skin Solutions. Here are some key recommendations about Skin and Diabetes Tech. Keeping Devices Attached Some people seem to have a lot of difficulty keeping devices attached – and summer, swimming, and anything that involves sweating can make it even more of a challenge. There are […]
Read More
Highlights from ADCES23: Celebrating Diabetes Care and Education in Houston
Howdy friends! The Children with Diabetes team had the opportunity to attend the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES) Annual Conference in Houston, Texas last week and we can’t wait to share with you some of our highlights from the event. This year’s annual conference was held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston and featured four days of continuing education, keynote speakers, hands-on workshops, and a giant exhibition hall. This year’s annual conference also helped to celebrate 50 years of advancing diabetes care and education with ADCES! So, grab your coffee, throw a load of […]
Read More
Keeping up with Diabetes Appointments
Keeping up with Diabetes Appointments There are a lot of different appointments when it comes to diabetes. There are the obvious ones, but then there are some that tend to get put on the back burner. Here’s the rundown on what is recommended for PWD (people with diabetes). Prescribing Provider Ideally, PWD have access to an endocrinologist – a doctor who specializes in endocrine disorders. The endocrine system is made up of many glands in the body and all the hormones they regulate. Diabetes is considered an endocrine disorder since insulin is a hormone. Endocrinologists typically have the most experience […]
Read More
ADA’s 83rd Scientific Sessions + Children with Diabetes = Where Diabetes Science and Hearts Collide
Two weeks ago several members of the Children with Diabetes team visited San Diego, California, to attend the 83rd annual American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions conference. As a first-timer, I wasn’t sure what to expect but knew that primary audience for the conference was healthcare providers and that the topics would be mostly about scientific advancements in diabetes and research. I had heard so much about the ADA conferences and was excited to attend the event to learn more on behalf of our CWD families and individuals living (and thriving) with type 1 diabetes. What I found was a mixture […]
Read More
Why Everyone Wants a GLP1
Everyone is trying to get their hands on the fancy new weight loss drugs – which happen to be medications designed for people with diabetes. More specifically, they were originally designed for people with non-insulin dependent diabetes. However, there are some definite benefits for those of us who are insulin dependent as well. Here’s what you need to know about GLP-1 Agonists. G-L-What? GLP stands for Glucagon Like Peptide – meaning it’s a building block of protein similar to glucagon. Agonist is a medical word for helping something work as it should. So, basically, it’s a medication that helps a […]
Read More
Caregiver Fatigue: When Diabetes feels like a Boa Constrictor
As the month of May comes to a close, I find myself reflective upon the fact that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Yet, in the diabetes world, we don’t talk much about mental health, do we? Most of our diabetes chit-chat is about pumps or syringes and different types of insulin. We babble on about watching blood glucose levels with meters or continuous glucose monitors. We gossip about juice boxes and glucose tabs and diabetes gadgets. We post and celebrate about FDA approvals for new diabetes technology. But, rarely do we post on social media about how diabetes can […]
Read More