Sweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes

For many parents, with or without T1D, food triggers so much baggage and confusion. On the one hand, we want to serve what’s healthy and limit “junk” food. We also don’t want to be overly restrictive: We know that as children get older, it’s going to be up to them to start making their own smart choices.  And if we never give them chips or ice cream, there’s a good chance they’re going to opt...

It is not an easy thing to let go of our kids as they grow up and become more independent. Having a T1D diagnosis only makes that process more difficult, and there is much anxiety, frustration, and fear in relinquishing diabetes management to other people. What if something happens and I’m not there? Will the caregiver know what to do? These questions flood our thoughts and can be paralyzing. Toda...

Being skeptical and fearful of the new technology of an insulin pump is real for many T1D parents. Is it reliable? Will it do what it’s supposed to do? Annie, a friend and fellow T1D mom, joins us to read a listener question from “Resistant” in California. Join us! Show Highlights: Listener Question from “Resistant”: “I’m feeling a lot of pressure to put my six-year-old daughter on a pump, and I r...

Dealing with your child’s additional health diagnosis on top of T1D can ramp up the stress and anxiety for parents. Today’s question comes from a parent who is navigating this difficult road with her teen. Join us to hear the conversation. Show Highlights: Guest: Janelle, whose daughter Michaela (16) was diagnosed with T1D at age 12 Testing has recently revealed that Michaela has a very rare antib...

Worrying about how your T1D child is adjusting to the new routine of diabetes management is common. How do you convey the seriousness of diabetes management while not overwhelming them with anxiety and fear? Is there a way they can take a “break” without endangering their safety? I’m joined again by Annie, a friend and fellow T1D mom, who will read and discuss a listener question on this issue fro...

Nighttime alarms for your T1D teen’s blood sugar levels are difficult. They bring fear and stress, besides robbing the family of good sleep. How much should the parent be involved in nighttime dosing, and how much ownership should the T1D teen take? Join us for today’s listener question about how that partnership might work.  Show Highlights: Guest : Alaina, the mother of Jesse (17) who was d...

Leaving your T1D child for an overnight or weekend trip for the first time brings up many anxious thoughts and concerns. The multitude of fears and “what ifs” can spiral out of control without a solid safety plan, but how do you put that in place? I’m joined today by Annie, a friend and fellow T1D mom, who is here to read and discuss a listener question about this topic from “Desperate for a Break...

As a T1D parent, you go through a flurry of activity and adjustment when your child is diagnosed. The years that follow can be very difficult with daily management and monitoring, and it may look like you have it under control. The truth is that we all need the support that comes from other T1D parents and other friends and family members—and we aren’t always good at asking for what we need. Join...

I’m honored to be joined by two guests today. One is a mom who has questions about substance use and her T1D teen. Because I’m not an expert on this topic, I invited Dr. Justin Altschuler to join us. Besides having T1D himself, he has a private practice that specializes in addiction and T1D, and he is the medical director of Diabetes Youth Families (DYF), which is the organization in the Bay Area...

Welcome to another episode! Today’s question comes from a listener who wrote to me, and I have a friend and fellow T1D mom, Annie, to join the discussion and offer her perspective on this difficult situation. Join us! Show Highlights: Question from “Feeling Powerless”: “I need help in supporting my T1D daughter, who is in 3rd grade and was diagnosed almost a year ago. Her best friend since forever...

Coordinating your T1D child’s care with school caregivers can vary from one extreme to the other. Some parents have wonderful support in place, and others feel like they are constantly battling and advocating. The truth is that parents, teachers, and school staff CAN and SHOULD work together to keep the child safe–that’s the bottom line. All the nuances of what that looks like can be worked out wi...

As with many medical issues, testing can be done for T1D markers. The problem is that those testing results give a measure for a particular point in time, and a negative result does not mean that someone will never be diagnosed with diabetes. For parents, it can be a real dilemma whether to test a child for these markers. Today’s question comes from a mom who doesn’t know what to do regarding this...

We are talking about T1D from a perspective other than that of a parent, which is our usual format. I’m talking to the care provider who helped both of my children when they were in elementary and middle school. Cassandra shares what it’s like to be a care provider, along with what worked best (and what didn’t), and how she coordinated with school administrators and parents. I hope this perspectiv...

Dexcom changes can bring a host of issues for T1D kids and their families. There are some tried and true strategies that I’ve seen work for many people. Today’s question comes from a mom who is trying to smooth out the rough edges for her newly-diagnosed, middle-school daughter. Join us! Show Highlights: Guest: Ashley, whose daughter (12) was diagnosed just a few months ago How the diagnosis has b...

The holiday season is here, and that means cookies, candies, and other scrumptious foods are all around us. If you are the parent of a T1D kid, you may experience a LOT of stress around diabetes management during this time. An added source of stress is the comments you’ll get from people who don’t understand T1D management. Today’s question comes from a mother who wants to prepare herself ahead of...

Every T1D parent feels the compulsion to tightly control the food, the doses, and every aspect of diabetes management for their child. We have to realize that the goals should be to normalize  T1D as much as possible, keep the numbers in the “good enough” range, and keep a good relationship with the child. We are NEVER going to achieve perfection, and we can’t expect perfection from our kids...

Having a newly diagnosed T1D child sends parents on a new and unexpected journey. Today’s question is from a mom who is struggling with all the pieces of the T1D journey with her preteen daughter. As is expected, her daughter wants to be private about her diabetes because she wants to fit in with her peers, and she just wants life to be about other things besides T1D. This shows up in anger and fr...

Today’s question comes from a mom who sees her son go into full-meltdown mode at pump change time, but this behavior differs, depending on who is observing him. As with any outward behavior, the internal emotions behind it are the key. Join us as we discuss how this mom can be supportive and allow his independence while giving her son the space to express his frustration with T1D.  Show Highl...

Every T1D parent faces fear in relinquishing control to teachers and caregivers as their child grows up, and those fears are magnified further if your child is very young. How to properly educate teachers in T1D care is something every one of us encounters. Today’s question is from a mom with a young son just beginning his schooling in preschool, and thankfully, he has supportive and attentive car...

Today I’m joined by Katie Roseborough, host of the Sugar Mama’s podcast. I’ve visited with Katie on her show, and she’s returning the favor by joining me today with a question about her T1D kid. Join us to hear the conversation! Show Highlights: Guest #1: Katie, mother of three, has a daughter (her middle child) with T1D. Her daughter is 10 years old and was diagnosed about two years ago.  Sh...

Life can be tricky with a newly-diagnosed T1D teenager. Some of them are happy to share and be open about diabetes, and some want to keep it hidden and to themselves. The point is that each of them has the right to decide if, and how, their peers will learn about their T1D. Today’s questions are from the mother of a teenager who has very strong feelings on the matter. Join us to learn more! Show H...

If your child was diagnosed before starting school or early in elementary school, a common fear among T1D parents is how their peers will react to their needs. There are various ways to educate and inform others about T1D devices and supplies and what’s happening inside the body, including brief presentations to “normalize” T1D life at school. If your child tends to be shy or wants to hide their d...

Parents of T1D kids have so many unique experiences that most people don’t understand. By finding community and support, we learn that we are not alone, and we have hope through difficult times. One of those difficult times to navigate is the transition to college, and it strikes fear in the hearts of T1D parents. Today’s questions begin with college-related questions about accommodations, parent-...

Welcome to another episode of the podcast! Parents of T1D kids have so many unique experiences that most people don’t understand. By finding community and support, we learn that we are not alone, and we have hope through the difficult times. Today’s questions revolve around helping our T1D kids learn the skills they need to be independent. We will talk about age-appropriate responsibilities and ho...

Welcome to another episode of the podcast! Parents of T1D kids have so many unique experiences that most people don’t understand. By finding community and support, we learn that we are not alone, and we have hope through the difficult times.  Today’s questions come from a common struggle of T1D parents around helping the child gain more independence, how parents can combat the anxiety that co...