Although I went through the motions of learning, it wasn't until we returned home that I began to understand the changes the diagnosis would make in our lives.

Looking back, I realize that if our healthcare team had advised us of certain strategies, our transition from the blessing of good health to the burden of chronic illness would have been smoother. In the best of all possible worlds, our healthcare team would have given us (and all newly diagnosed parents) the following insights:

1.You must enlist help during those early days. Ask at least one extra person to accompany you to follow-up appointments and to meetings with your nutritionist. With pen and paper in hand, he or she can record all the new information even when you are upset or anxious. By including a spouse, older children, friends and extended family, you ensure that informed people surround the child at home. In addition, some insurance companies will pay for a diabetes nurse from the Visiting Nurses Association to come to your house and educate family, friends, neighbors and caregivers about diabetes.

2.Be aware that you have an increased likelihood of post-traumatic stress disorder and/or depression, even up to a year after your child's diagnosis. During those early sleepless nights and days filled with anxiety, I reproached myself for not handling our situation better. Although I knew I could access resources through the hospital and local support groups, I tried to cope with everything myself and didn't ask for help. I didn't know that most parents grapple with the same issues and that sharing my concerns with others would be reassuring and supportive. I wish I had reached out sooner.

3.Give yourself time to study your child and learn his or her particular patterns and sensitivities. Realize that reaching your targets and goals will become easier as time passes. Learn from your healthcare team about the many variables that make it difficult to keep your child's numbers within range. In the beginning, we didn't have enough information about Danny's particular reactions to succeed. I didn't know that white flour, white sugar, and many fried or fatty foods gave Danny's blood sugar an immediate sharp boost. I had no idea that less sleep, any rush of adrenaline, or a long car ride would send his sugars skyrocketing. Moreover, I didn't know that these spikes only required a small amount of insulin to bring them down, while highs from eating a hamburger required twice as much.

4.Be aware that food matters. There are rare children who can eat anything, take a dose of insulin, and have stellar blood sugar numbers. Most children, however, will have highs and then lows from white sugar, white flour, fried food, white rice, and white potatoes. Most children will neither spike nor drop from non-starchy vegetables, chicken, fish, and small portions of whole-grain bread, brown rice, or sweet potatoes. Yes, most children prefer grilled cheese to salad, but it helps to acknowledge the effects of different foods and to slowly help your children learn to like new foods.

5..Make changes as a family. Our educational classes focused on monitoring Danny's diet, but no one told us how to convince him to comply with the demands of his illness. Ultimately, the only way we could add vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and meats to his diet was to introduce them gradually to the whole family and remove everything from our house that spiked his blood sugars. We also made a family decision about exercise, unanimously concluding that sitting around after meals didn't help any of us. It wasn't long before we were playing basketball after dinner, riding our bikes and taking long walks.

6.Help the whole family develop a positive attitude about creating a healthier lifestyle together, so that the child with diabetes is not left alone to struggle with the changes. Diabetes is not the only reason to develop new patterns and habits. Now, I am grateful for the blessing of time, which brought our family to a new sense of normal and a deeper understanding of how to live comfortably with diabetes.

Comments (9)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

http://www.top-buyer.com/
written by cheap handbags, October 19, 2011

Choosing arrangement Mulberry replica Handbags do not abject you are compromising with the quality. You can own both functions and money at the above time.wholesale pursesreplica balenciaga handbags These online shops will activity the best annual for you. handbags wholesale Acquire arcade fun diplomacy Replica Mulberry Handbags. Wish you a able purchasing.

PUMA sponsored tennis star - Becker
written by cheap puma ferrari shoes, November 09, 2011

PUMA sponsored by the Swedish track and field team:

Olympic long jump champion in 2004: Olsen

Olympic heptathlon champion in 2004: Kluft

PUMA sponsored tennis star - Becker

PUMA sponsored baseball star: Johnny Damon, Tlm Hudson, Trot Nlxon

Puma running shoes sponsored golfer:

Stars: Golf star Geoff Ogilvy

Introduction: nationality - Australia

Birth - June 11, 1977

The U.S. Golf Open 2006

Champion

- Ranks eighth in the world

2005 Tucson Classic champion

2006 World Match Play Championship

tisa hats
written by tisa hats, November 09, 2011

Many of my friends do not know how to get the road to make money before they can make their own, and here I give you two possible ways to make money, the first one is, monster energy hats the second is Snapback hats ,I believe that you two ways to do so if the real will make money, while very grateful to the author of this article.

ugg boots clearance
written by ugg boots clearance, November 29, 2011

ADE2DY6BO6RO2DY5MY
When persons proceed buying in cowhide ugg boots clearance stores, there are several distinct hues of UGG boots.

...
written by cheap oakley sunglasses, December 06, 2011

Young persons furthermore loves value ugg boots
YQDSHXLZCFKDY
I am 13 years vintage and I love my Ugg boots, and I have currently have 6 in twos of ugg boots sale, all of them from my mom.

My mother actually loves me, and she is the individual who actually cares the world fashion. So she habitually notified me that I should gaze after my dress method and if I have

a pleasant dress I will gaze smart. Well, I acquiesce with my mother, and I believe she is a stylish woman.

cheap dvd
written by Chaos dvd season 1, December 15, 2011

So, what is the most happiest and wonderful time in a year for you? I’d like to say, Christmas, white snow covered the earth, everywhere decorated with colorful lights, we put aside all the sadness and regrets just for enjoying this long-awaited blessed time. In order to celebrate this festival with all of you, our website on behalf of the Santa to send you all those items you collect on dvdboxroom, remember free shipping for all~
Chaos dvd season 1

wholesale cheap hats
written by wholesale hats, December 31, 2011

Perk up established common will become cooled using a a terrific way to through manufacturers like Outside Look. Without a as few as money 20 well you can acquire an important propensity Lawn Learn head wear. You'll find nothing as you all on your own common lower price fledgling age snapback caps Top and also a coating due to the fact change for the working weather conditions. If you decide on, think of making use of the idea head wear Exterior To endure Bombshell Container all on your own however the Top blood vessels holding denim jeans , nor man scarf. More than a wind resistant, more sleek sort of the typical box cover, the idea jacket will take slightly femininity, elegant and elegant hear sadly mindful, is to find be careful about your hair styling right away.

http://www.supreme-hat.com/
written by supreme hats, December 31, 2011

Thank you for your sharing，When talking about the bowler cheap hats, the brand name hats gloves is always come into mind.

new era winter hats
written by cheap new era hats, January 10, 2012

Perk up established common will become cooled using a a terrific way to through manufacturers like Outside Look. Without a as few as money 20 well you can acquire an important propensity Lawn Learn head wear. You'll find nothing as you all on your own common lower price fledgling age cheap winter hats wholesale Top and also a coating due to the fact change for the working weather conditions. If you decide on, think of making use of the idea head wear Exterior To endure Bombshell Container all on your own however the Top blood vessels holding denim jeans , nor tisa hatsMore than a wind resistant, more sleek sort of the typical box cover, the idea jacket will take slightly femininity, elegant and elegant hear sadly mindful, is to find be careful about your hair styling right away.

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

Add Comment