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Adolescence (15 to 18 years old)Children in adolescence are undergoing profound physical and emotional changes and are characterized by:
- Puberty is well underway
- Concerned with physical appearance
- Clearer sense of self (can set goals)
- Increased autonomy
- Risk-taking behaviors, including not taking insulin and not performing blood sugar tests
- Many social activities that are unpredictable
Your goals for helping your adolescent with his diabetes management should be:
- Incorporate hectic lifestyle into the diabetes plan
- Allow independence in problem-solving
- Discuss treatment options (Multiple Daily Injections [MDI], the pump and meal planning with carbohydrate counting)
- Be non-judgmental (e.g., there is no such thing as a "bad" blood sugar reading)
- Keep social issues separate from diabetes
- Help establish realistic goals
- Watch for risk-taking behaviors, such as not taking insulin
- Monitor school attendance and performance
Infants | Toddlers | Pre-school | School Age | Early Adolescence | Adolescence
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URL: http://www.diabetes123.com/d_0n_b60.htm
Last Updated: Thu Aug 29 19:59:50 2002
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