My daughter is in denial and is rebelling against her diabetes by not doing her blood sugar properly. I am very concerned. How can I convince her to start testing again?

She’s letting you know that diabetes is too stressful for her to handle on her own right now. This is not unusual for a teenager, as caring for diabetes can be very burdensome, and most people feel burned-out by the responsibility at some point in time. I recommend that you let her know how hard diabetes care is and offer to check her blood sugars for her and give her insulin injections so that her health is maintained while she finds the energy to get re-involved in her own care. I also recommend that you talk with her diabetes team for other recommendations, such as helping her work with a mental health professional familiar with diabetes.

JWB