February 15, 2001
Complications, Other
Question from Suffern, New York, USA:
My 11 1/2 year old son was diagnosed with type�1 diabetes at age one and one-half. While he knows about high and low blood sugar readings and can treat them appropriately, can read his insulin dosage chart, and pull and give his own shot, we have never discussed in detail, the long term effects of diabetes. We want to begin educating him about these issues. Can you recommend some age-appropriate resources that will not unnecessarily frighten him?
Answer:
The best resource is your son’s diabetes team. Your son is almost 12, so he really could use a few hours of re-education with his team at this point. What he knows about diabetes, its treatment, and the future is very different than what he should know now because he is so much older and is capable of understanding the disease at a much more sophisticated level. Call the team and see if you can have your son meet with the educator and the dietitian.
JWB
