 Friends & Family
Telling your friends about diabetes doesn't have to be a big deal. In fact, it may only take a few minutes. Here are some ideas for talking about diabetes to a friend.
- "I have diabetes. To take care of my diabetes, I eat at certain times, check my blood glucose, and take insulin shots. Doing these things keeps me healthy!"
- "Can you wait a few minutes? I need to eat a snack before I go out and play. Do you want a snack, too?"
- "If I ever start acting confused, I may need to eat something. I usually carry glucose tablets in my backpack. It would help me a lot if you remind me to eat one when you see me acting confused or if I look sick."
- "You can't catch diabetes from me."
Your friends will probably ask you lots of questions at first. They may be curious about how you got diabetes. Maybe they want to know why you have to take shots. They may want to see you check your blood glucose -- or even how you give yourself a shot.
Some of their questions may sound stupid to you. Don't get too annoyed, though. You probably didn't know much about diabetes either -- until you found out you had it! Keep in mind that your friends ask questions about your diabetes because they care about you.
Some of your friends may not want to talk much about your diabetes. They could be a little scared, especially if they think they could catch diabetes from you. Try not to let this bother you.
It may take them some time to understand and accept your diabetes -- just like it took you some time to adjust at first. Just explain little by little what diabetes is and how you take care of it. You could also give them a brochure or a book that explains diabetes. And reassure them that they can't catch it from you!
The three most important things you will want your friends to know about diabetes are:
- Diabetes is not catching. You can't catch diabetes from a friend.
- Some kids hear the word "diabetes" and they think this means you will "die." Tell them that you plan to live a good long life with diabetes.
- You did not get diabetes because you ate too much sugar, Halloween candy, or drank too much soda.
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