FOR CAREGIVERS
It’s natural to feel stress when you care for a child with type 1 diabetes. New routines, changing information, time demands, and other parts of daily life can sometimes feel like too much.
Even once you’re used to the diabetes diagnosis, fear of low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) or other problems can keep going. This fear often comes with anxiety and stress, especially if you’re a parent.
Your stress and how you feel about caring for a child with type 1 diabetes can affect how well your child is able to manage his or her disease. That’s why it is important for parents and other care partners to take steps to lower their own stress levels. Relieving anxiety or uncertainty about raising a child with type 1 diabetes can have a positive effect on both you and your child.
If you have any questions or concerns about managing stress, you should talk to your doctor. Your child’s diabetes care teamDiabetes care teamYour diabetes care team may include a primary care doctor, a diabetes and hormone doctor (endocrinologist), a registered nurse, a diabetes educator, a dietitian, a heart doctor (cardiologist), a foot doctor (podiatrist), an eye doctor (ophthalmologist/optometrist), a kidney doctor (nephrologist), a dentist, a pharmacist, and a mental health professional. may be able to help, too.
Here are some tips to quickly lower your stress levels. These may help you stay strong and balanced for your child.
Having too much stress for too long may lead to depression. That can get in the way of daily life and cause difficulty for the depressed person and those around them. If you think you may be experiencing depression, talk to your doctor about treatment options.
Correct!
Sorry, that's incorrect.
True. Simply stand or sit in a comfortable position.
Close your eyes.
Take a deep breath in.
Breathe out.
Then pause.
Repeat the steps again.
You’ve just done a mini meditation.