Only the parents and children know how it really is. This is probably the most difficult group of patients with diabetes. At the same time, responsibility is placed on the shoulders of the parents, who become coaches, mentors and a universal diabetes teacher.
Much has been written about the challenges of managing diabetes. But in this whole story, people who have the hardest time are simply forgotten. Parents of children with diabetes have to combine many functions. First, they themselves need to study the topic of diabetes up and down. This is in the context of the fact that the majority of diabetes schools work very badly and it’s problematic to find a hospital where they provide a good basis.
After studying the topic, you have to study the child’s body reactions to various factors, adjust the doses in conditions of unstable hormonal levels during the period of active growth, teach them how to eat properly, teach the basics of diabetes, struggle with public opinion and a clumsy backward system when they don’t want to take the child to camp, various sports sections and in ordinary hiking with class … This list can be continued for a very long time. A little easier for those parents who have a child on pump-action insulin therapy. But this only removes a number of concerns about compensation.
The psychology of parent-child relationships with diabetes remains behind the scenes…
Another common problem is the lack of information. Most of the supporting literature and articles are aimed at adult patients and the prevention of complications. Recently, the psychological aspect of the disease has been more widely covered, but this is more often a discussion of “diabetic burnout” and depression. The psychology of parent-child relationships with diabetes remains behind the scenes.
There is a scary tendency o replace the discussion about real problems (discrimination, lack of medicines, lack of training programs) with motivating conversations a la “Diabetes is a way of life”, “Think optimistically,” etc.
Unfortunately, today the state and relevant organizations pay little attention to the difficulties of such parents. After all, they also need support. It seems that the information policy is aimed at a desire to reduce the degree of discussion of problems. The tendency is to replace the discussion about real problems (discrimination, lack of medicines, lack of training programs) with motivating conversations a la “Diabetes is a way of life”, “Think optimistically,” etc. scary. Of course, motivating conversations and dispelling myths are needed. But this is not the biggest difficulty. First of all, it is necessary to solve real problems that directly affect the quality of life of people with diabetes.
Real state support, well-functioning diabetes schools in ALL hospitals, and educational work with educational system personnel (with teachers, trainers, etc.) will have a much greater effect than holding one round table on Diabetes Day. The theme of this round table will still be something in the spirit of diabetes does not prevent to achieve high results and how to say it correctly so as not to offend anyone — a diabetic or a person with diabetes.