Endocrine Abstracts

The incident of type 1 diabetes is increasing, especially among young children. There is no cure yet, treatment with insulin together with careful control of blood glucose is necessary. International guidelines recommend that youths with diabetes shall be offered the most advanced insulin delivery technology that is available, accessible and acceptable for them. At the onset of diabetes, most children are admitted to a paediatric in-patient-clinic for about a week. Insulin treatment and intensive training in self-management start there. After discharge from the ward, self-management takes place at home, with continuous support and education from the diabetes team at the clinic. Despite the development of technologically advanced products, self-management for diabetes is demanding. There are different challenges for different ages. Young children have a total dependence on parents and caregivers for self-management. Injections, infusion set and sensor insertions, and BG checks seen as pain inflicted by caregivers. Parents may feel increased stress, diminished bonding, and depressive feelings. Education for nursery and kindergarten staff is essential. As the child gets older and develop an independence a progressive stepwise transfer of responsibilities is actual. The goal is to be able to manage self-management independently before transfer to an adult clinic.