Your Diabetes Care Team
You are part of a team -- your diabetes care team. And on this team, you're the captain. When you're frustrated with your diabetes or don't know what to do, call one of your teammates to help.
Each person with diabetes may have different team members. Here are some people that could be on your diabetes care team.
Your parents and other family members.
Your family plays an important role in regards to your diabetes care. They are the first ones you should talk to when you have questions or problems with your diabetes (or anything else!).
Your doctor.
Your doctor may be a specialist (often called a diabetologist or an endocrinologist) or a family doctor who also cares for people with diabetes.
Your diabetes educator.
A diabetes educator is trained to help you learn about diabetes and make adjustments in your diabetes care. He or she may also be trained as a nurse or a dietitian.
Your dietitian.
A dietitian is an expert in food and nutrition. He or she can help you and your family create and stick to a healthy eating plan.
Your eye doctor.
People with diabetes get their eyes checked by an eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist) once a year.
Mental health professional.
A counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist, or social worker can help you and your family cope better with the emotions and changes that diabetes can bring.
Exercise specialist.
If you're having trouble fitting activity into your diabetes care, an exercise specialist can work with you and your doctor to create an activity plan and make sure you exercise safely.
Pharmacist.
A pharmacist can help you and your parents learn more about diabetes medicine and supplies and can help you choose supplies -- like your glucose meter, syringes, and finger-pricking device.
Talking with your Team
People with diabetes should do their best to follow the advice of their doctor and other members of their diabetes team. After all, the members of your diabetes team are experts in diabetes. But you are the expert on how well your diabetes treatment plan works in your life. In order to make your diabetes treatment work well, you need to talk with your diabetes team. A lot. Let them know what's going on with you, and what you need from your diabetes treatment. If you don't talk with them, it makes it really tough for them to help you.
For example, there's no reason you can't find a way to work an occasional treat into your meal plan. Is your class having a party? There's no reason for you to refuse all the food that's being served and eat celery sticks out of your lunch (no matter how much you may love celery sticks). Talk with your diabetes educator about working occasional treats into your plan. Your diabetes educator can show you how to make changes in your day (like increasing physical activity or insulin) to make up for the extra carbs. This way, everyone's happy and you have a diabetes plan that works for you.
Expanding Your Team
Sometimes you need more help -- you need to expand your team. When this happens, you and your parents may want to contact your local office of the American Diabetes Association to find out what's available near you. Find your local ADA office here.
Your Parents
As you get older and have more practice with diabetes, your role in your diabetes care will change. You will start to take on more of your diabetes care, and your parents will move into more of a support role. This is good. It means that you're growing up and learning how to take care of yourself. Sooner or later, you're going to be living on your own. You'll need to know how to take care of yourself. It's great to start "practicing" while your parents are still around to help and support you.
All this change can be tough on everyone, though. It's hard on your parents. It'll definitely be hard on you, too. The key is to keep at it and keep talking to each other all the way. Eventually, you'll all get comfortable with your new roles.
Learn more about dealing with your parents.
