����ý

Actor James Norton is reading a book for CBeebies Bedtime Stories that is aimed at helping children and their families understand diabetes. James has also talked to us about living with type 1 diabetes himself, and has a key message for you as a parent if your child has recently been diagnosed with the condition:

“It can be hard to accept diabetes into your life, but the condition is manageable for you and your child, and things will get better.”

����ý Bitesize Parents’ Toolkit has been speaking to some experts to get their tips on how to handle your child’s diabetes.

What is diabetes?

“Diabetes is a serious condition where your blood glucose level is too high. It can happen either when your body doesn't produce enough insulin, the insulin it produces isn't effective or when your body can't produce any insulin at all. We can’t live without insulin – it works like a key that helps unlock your cells and allows glucose (sugar) in your blood to move into your cells where it is used for energy.” says Emma Elvin - Deputy Head of Care at Diabetes UK.

“We can’t live without insulin – it works like a key that helps unlock your cells…”
–Diabetes UK

According to charity Diabetes UK, there are 4.6 million people in the UK who have diabetes. There are two main types of diabetes – type 1 and type 2.

Differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes:

What happens if my child gets diabetes?

“Focus on caring for them, not just their condition. The key thing is you control the diabetes, it doesn’t control you.”
– James Norton

Emma Elvin says: “If your child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes – like James Norton – they will be seen in hospital by a specialist children’s diabetes team. This will include diabetes specialist nurses, doctors and possibly a dietitian. They will show and teach you and your child how to inject insulin and monitor blood glucose levels. It’s quite likely your child will stay in hospital for this bit, but it's nothing to worry about. You may also learn about with a dietitian. After the initial diagnosis your child will then be regularly seen by their diabetes team and will have other checks such as blood pressure and kidney function.”

Your child’s diabetes

Emma Elvin goes on to advise:“When your child is using insulin to manage their diabetes, it means they are at risk of their blood glucose levels going too low, this is called a hypo and needs to be treated. Hypos are treated by eating or drinking something that contains fast acting carbohydrate:

• glucose or dextrose tablets or gels
• jelly babies
• non-diet soft drinks

"Your child’s diabetes team will advise on the amount of hypo treatment they need. If you use an insulin pump, your treatment may be different, so talk to your diabetes team for advice. It is useful to carry hypo treatments with you as well as a slower-acting carbohydrate. This could be a:

• sandwich or a piece of toast
• piece of fruit
• cereal bar

"Sometimes your child will need this additional carbohydrate after a hypo to help prevent their glucose level dropping again. It’s also a good idea to put together a diabetes kit bag of all the essentials your child might need out and about, for example their blood glucose monitor, medication, etc.”

How do we cope with a diagnosis?

Being told your child has diabetes can have a big emotional impact on you and your child, both in terms of the initial shock, and the subsequent vigilance required to manage the condition. This is a completely natural response when accepting a condition like this into your life.

Dr Rose Stewart is Adult Diabetes Psychology Lead for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in Wales, and she wrote the book ‘How to Manage a Mammoth’, which James Norton reads on CBeebies Bedtime Stories. She says that as a parent you may feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of supporting your child living with type 1 diabetes. It’s important to acknowledge any fear or anxiety, and to give yourself time to process what’s happened. Then you can take steps to manage the stress so that it doesn’t impact further on you, your home life, or your child’s diabetes management.

Dr Stewart suggests trying some of the following strategies (even if you’ve tried them already before) if you’re feeling worried or burnt out:

• talk to your child’s diabetes team about how you feel
• try talking therapy with a diabetes psychologist or another service
• find out about, and experiment with, the different technology available to treat diabetes
• access support groups in person and online

Emma Elvin adds: “A lot of parents feel guilty when they find out their child has diabetes, but it isn’t your fault. It’s okay to feel sad, angry and overwhelmed at the start as it’s a big change, but remember it’s important to seek help, and talking to other parents can really help.”

Common symptoms of diabetes

“Type 1 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes diagnosed in children, however cases of type 2 diabetes in children and young people are increasing. The symptoms can depend on the type of diabetes you have but the common symptoms of diabetes include:"

• peeing more, especially at night
• being really thirsty
• feeling more tired than usual
• losing weight without trying to

What to do if you think your child has developed symptoms of diabetes

Emma Elvin continues: "The symptoms of type 1 diabetes tend to come on within a matter of days or weeks and you should get urgent medical help if you notice any of these symptoms. If your child has any of the above symptoms, take them straight to the doctor and insist on a blood glucose test. If you’re struggling to get a GP appointment you can call 111 or if it’s urgent go straight to A&E. If a quick and simple finger prick test indicates high blood sugar, your GP will refer your child to a specialist diabetes team and a blood test will be sent to the lab to make a diagnosis. If your child feels very unwell or their symptoms have come on quickly seek an urgent appointment with your GP or call NHS 111.”

“The most important thing is for your kid to have the biggest, fullest life possible.”
– James Norton

Dr Rose Stewart emphasises: “It’s really important to recognise that living with a child with type 1 diabetes is often difficult and stressful” but to try and let go of any guilt attached to the situation. Instead, write down what’s important to you as a parent or carer – like how you want your child to feel about their childhood, and what values are important to you – and then “take action towards using what’s important to you to guide your parenting”, as you would with any child.

You could also:

• read our tips on how to talk to your child
• write an action plan together with your child
• reward your child for their efforts
• celebrate the victories, big or small
• take time out for yourself (hard but necessary!)

Finally, Dr Stewart also suggests recognising and writing down your stress early warning signs. This can be things like feeling a lack of joy, distancing yourself emotionally, stopping communicating, or feeling upset or angry all the time. Regularly check in with yourself, so you can ‘catch’ stress or burnout early.

Emma Elvin finishes: “Most people who look after a child with diabetes don’t know anything about it before diagnosis, but your healthcare team is there to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions and ask for support. You need to understand what diabetes is and how to look after it too.”

Watch James Norton read How to Manage a Mammoth here on iPlayer.

For more information:

The charity JDRF have a .

Diabetes UK has information on . They also have a handy guide to .

����ý Action Line has links to these and other organisations that may be able to help.

More from ����ý Bitesize Parents' Toolkit…