Just a Little Control

Children with diabetes often lash out because they feel they
have no control over their lives. Everything they do is governed
by their diabetes: medications, meal times, shots, blood checks,
and endless visits to the doctors. A lot of a young diabetic's
freedom is taken away by the disease.

It is hard for a child with diabetes to understand why they
can't have a piece of candy when the other kids can, or why they
have to be checked for sugar levels so often. Imagine how
frustrated you'd be if you could not do something just because
your blood sugar was too low or high. All those test and shots,
it's not fair.

Diabetes affects the mind as much as it does the body. In our
family we try to give our diabetic child choices, so he feels
like he has more control over his life. Simple things like
letting him check his own blood sugar or picking the location
for his shots. When the child gets older and more mature they
can be equipped with an insulin pump, which will allow them to
"dial in" a more controlled release of insulin, and it gives
them more control over their diabetes.

Our child will often act up for apparently no reason. In many
cases it's just a manifestation of his frustration over his
apparent lack of control over his life. We try to make him feel
he does have choices. We allow him to pick movies, or we give
him a choice over what we will eat for dinner. We give him
healthy choices, but we let him make the final decision. 

Diabetes is more than a physical disease, it impacts how your
family will develop and mature. Diabetes takes control away from
the individual that has the disease and it makes it more
difficult for the parent of a young child inflicted with
diabetes. 

Structuring your parenting of your child to make them feel like
they can make choices about their life, and the treatment of
their diabetes, will help your child feel more empowered and in
control of their life.

Sometimes all a person needs is just a little control.