Your Child's Relationship with the Health Care Team

More than most other conditions, diabetes requires patients to take an active role in their treatment (self-care). As much as possible, empower your child to "take charge" of her diabetes care in and out of the doctor's office.

As your child grows, encourage her to develop her own relationship with her doctor and other members of the diabetes care team. At any age, she should be encouraged to ask questions and bring concerns about her diabetes care to you and to the diabetes care team. Remember, there's no one right way to take care of diabetes, so encourage her to tell the diabetes team when she has trouble with diabetes treatment. Emphasize that members of the diabetes care team are experts in diabetes, but you and your child are the experts in how well a diabetes treatment plan works in her life. The diabetes team can help adjust insulin, eating, and exercise to improve control and fit diabetes care to your child's schedule and needs.

The teen years are a good time to foster an independent relationship between your child and her doctor (and the rest of the diabetes team). Make sure she has time at each appointment to talk to the doctor one-on-one. Of course, you should still be included in discussions and decisions about her diabetes care, but that one-on-one time will prepare your child for relating to medical professionals independently as an adult.