Parental support

Parents go through a wide range of emotions when their children have a chronic condition and these feelings often come in waves, e.g. denial, anger, frustration, sadness, guilt, fear and depressed mood. How parents learn to cope with their own emotions and their own needs will determine how they can best support their child. To care for your child you must first care for yourself!

Triple P Online program - a program for parents of toddlers to 12-year-olds - providing tips and strategies to positively influence your child’s development, emotional regulation, and wellbeing

Tuning in to Kids (Tuning into Kids®, Tuning into Teens®) - parenting groups that are evidenced based and teach emotional intelligence and emotional regulation. 

Tuning into Kids Online Program

Tuning in to our kids (and getting help doing that) Podcast 

Some self-care tips

• Continue to do things that you loved prior to diabetes diagnosis
• Educate others in your family about diabetes management so you can have a break!
• Talk to family and friends regularly
• Adult colouring, yoga, deep breathing, gym, music, reading etc can assist parental wellbeing
  

Diabetes and Parenting

As if parenting wasn’t hard enough! When your child has diabetes parenting can be even more difficult and require more planning, routine and involvement in your child’s life. Children and young people can often rebel against this and it is important to have all carers on the same page to support the child and for them to feel safe. Parental anxiety is often transferred to the young person so it is important that you have a space to talk away from your child as not every conversation is developmentally appropriate for a child to hear.

Your child is still the young person they were before their diagnosis and can achieve goals, play sports, get a job etc. It is important that there are times at home and while out and about that there is no (or limited) ‘Diabetes talk’. Diabetes does not define who they are and this is important to remember. For instance, it is not helpful to say to your child when they first arrive home from school “what is your BGL?”A better question might be ‘how was your day at school?”

JDRF Peer Support Program: JDRF’s Peer Support Program is a free volunteer network that connects people who have been affected by type 1 diabetes. This allows you to link into the JDRF Peer Support Program. 

JDRF wellbeing resource

JDRF have released a guide on wellbeing for parents and carers, titled "If you're okay, They're Okay".

This is a free download providing advice on: 

• Support to help parents raise their children with confidence
• Age-appropriate expectations for children living with T1D
• Tips for dealing with the family’s emotional challenges
• Practical advice on common issues 

JDRF Parent Wellbeing Guide 

Family Therapy and Diabetes 

We understand that Diabetes management can be tough at times for young people and their families, where the day-to-day stresses can lead to disagreements or arguments, whether it's to do with taking insulin, blood glucose checks or food related struggles. This may create difficulties in continuing to encourage your child with these things, perhaps feeling like you're not getting any where or the young person feeling like they want to avoid it all together.

Family work sessions could include:

• Working on communication between family members.
• Being able to negotiate on responsibilities/tasks.
• Understanding each other's perspectives; whether recognising their needs, being able to express difficulties safely and building on strengths.

If you are interested, please click for more information and email diabetes@rch.org.au and a Social Worker will get back to you. This service is not currently available but we are seeking interest from patients who attend The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) Diabetes Clinic. 

Online training for family and friends

Do you sometimes wish your family members and friends knew a little more about diabetes so they could feel confident providing care and support? Diabetes Australia have developed an online learning module aimed specifically at family, friends, babysitters, and nannies who might be responsible for looking after a child with type 1 diabetes. This online module takes an hour to complete and covers topics such as:

• Understanding diabetes
• Monitoring glucose levels
• Insulin delivery devices
• Diabetes Highs
• Diabetes Lows
• Eating to manage diabetes
• Being active
• Being supportive.

You can access this online module here Education & events - Diabetes programs - Diabetes Australia and look for the training titled ‘Looking after a child with diabetes’.

Siblings

Siblings often worry a lot and should be spoken to about the diagnosis of diabetes and what the treatment entails in basic age-appropriate language, so they are prepared and understand as much as possible.

Siblings of children with diabetes often feel that they get less attention, care and support than their sibling with diabetes. Where possible try and find time to spend with siblings away from ‘diabetes’!!  Young children may like to help so give them a task e.g. “can you get a tissue for your sister?” or “can you get the iPad for them?”

Online resources for siblings

Jumo Health is an initiative set up by doctors to explain medical information to children and have developed a comic book discussing what type 1 diabetes is. 

Siblings Australia provide support for siblings of children living with a chronic health condition. 

Livewire is a free online community connecting teens living with illness/disability and their siblings. 

Updated October 2023