I am a general pediatrician working in Botswana in Southern Africa. I have been asked to assist in the care of several (five or six) poorly controlled (lowest A1c – 12.0) teenaged type 1 diabetics who are currently receiving medical treatment in the public sector in Botswana. I am looking for teen-oriented literature in English to distribute to these patients for educational purposes. It appears that the lack of appropriate teaching has been a key contributor to the patients’ poor control. Can you recommend any material that can be accessed through the Internet or could you e-mail some basic teen education materials?

I am so glad to see you are seeking out educational information for these teens. If you are looking for general diabetes education, general type 1 education pieces may work out best initially. Educational web sites and handout from diabetes and drug companies (such as BD) may be helpful, depending on what you are trying to find. Most of the information targeted specifically towards teens deals with lifestyle issues affected by diabetes such as peer pressure, schools, sports. While this is important, these teens may need a refresher in the basics as well. You might also want to look at the American Diabetes Association’s page on Teens; the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s page on Life with diabetes – teens, as well as our web pages about Books for Kids and Teens With Type 1 and general Care Suggestions.

MN