Diabetes
Teens and diabetes:Although the teenage years can be a challenge for any child as
he/she goes through sexual and emotional changes, it can be especially
trying for adolescents with diabetes. Adolescents inherently want to "fit
in." Being different in any way from his/her peers can be emotionally
stressful, especially for the teenager.
The teen who previously complied very well with his/her diabetes
management plan may now become rebellious and refuse to comply. He/she may
also experience denial of the disease, or display increasingly aggressive
behavior in reaction to the stress of managing diabetes, during a time in
life that is challenging enough already.
One aspect of diabetes management - blood sugar control - is especially
hard during adolescence. Researchers believe the growth hormone produced
during adolescence to stimulate bone and muscle growth may also act as an
anti-insulin agent. Blood sugar levels become harder to control, resulting
in blood sugar levels that swing from too low to too high. This lack of
control over blood sugar levels can be very frustrating for your teenager.
Helping your teenager cope:Open communication between you and your teenager with diabetes
is important during these years. You should recognize that your teenager
wants to be treated as an adult, even if that means letting him/her take
charge of his/her own diabetes management plan. Parents should also
recognize that teenagers need the following:
- spontaneity
Adolescence is a time of spontaneity, such as stopping for pizza after
school. However, the teenager with diabetes also needs to realize that
managing his/her diabetes successfully will give him/her the flexibility
that is craved.
- control
Teenagers want to be in charge of their own lives and create their own
identities. To achieve this control, the teenager will test limits.
However, a teenager with diabetes can learn that to exert control over
his/her diabetes, he/she is learning to gain control over other parts of
life.
More Information
Schneider Children's
Hospital Division of Adolescent Medicine
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