Focus on the mental health of diabetics and parents

  Most children with type 1 diabetes start with diabetic ketoacidosis. When they learn that their children have diabetes, the initial reaction of most parents is disbelief, followed by denial and refusal to accept it, and some parents may even be on the verge of a nervous breakdown and spend their days in tears. When the ketoacidosis is corrected and the danger period is over, they tend to ask around and always hope that they can be cured by treating for a while with prescriptions and tests, rather than accepting long-term insulin subcutaneous injections.  Smaller children, on the other hand, will become bored under the torment of hunger and craving, and at the same time, are full of fear when they see their parents sulking or even in tears. Older children, especially those in adolescence, begin to self-deny, believing that they are different from others and fearing that their classmates will be discriminated against when they find out, and some even resent their parents, believing that they have passed on bad genes to themselves. Against their parents, they do not test their blood sugar on time, do not control their diet, or even do not inject insulin on time, and eventually develop ketoacidosis again. In fact, diabetes is the same as our common myopia and hypertension, what is lacking to make up for it, because there is not enough insulin in the body, then it is good to supplement insulin, no big deal.  Taiwan’s Dr. Lin Jiahong, from the age of 15 got diabetes, until now more than 20 years, blood sugar has been well controlled, study, college, work, marriage and children, nothing has been left behind, until now there are no complications. His attitude, some of his practices, are worthy of our reference. As a parent, we should accept it openly, do a good job in the logistics of the child, pay attention to the child’s thought dynamics, make suitable meals, supervise the child’s blood sugar measurement, insulin injection and moderate exercise, and communicate with the attending doctor in time when problems arise. As a child, follow the instructions of your doctor and parents, stay on track, don’t be afraid to let your classmates know, and ask your parents and your primary care doctor for help in a timely manner when you encounter a problem. You are no different than everyone else, you just need a healthier lifestyle and diet. As for daily medication, just think of yourself as if you’ve been getting a cold and need to take cold medicine every day.