Health Tips for May 6

Health Tip: Help Your Child Cope With Diabetes

Diabetes will change a child's life, and the lives of close family members.

The American Diabetes Association offers these suggestions to help your child cope with his or her condition:

• Learn as much as you can about diabetes -- together.
• Encourage your child to disclose the condition to family members and close friends, whenever the time feels right.
• Promote your child's participation in managing his or her own diabetes care.
• Have your child speak with other children who have diabetes.
• Talk together about what emotions your child is dealing with. Allow both positive and negative comments, but assure your child that everything will be OK.
• Don't let diabetes take over your child's life. Encourage participation in sports, hobbies and other activities.
• Acknowledge that habits and behaviors may change over the years to better manage diabetes.
• Help your child learn how to deal with stress.

Health Tip: Your Diabetes Health-Care Team

If you have diabetes, you need more than just a primary care doctor to help manage your health.

The American Diabetes Association says other specialists also should be considered as part of a diabetic's medical team. They include:

• An endocrinologist, or a primary care physician with significant experience in treating diabetes.
• A registered nurse trained in diabetes care, who can help with day-to-day diabetes management concerns.
• A registered dietitian, who can help you decide your daily diet and help you learn how food affects your blood sugar.
• An eye doctor, who can check your eyes regularly for diabetes-related complications.
• A podiatrist, who regularly examines your feet.
• A dentist, who checks regularly for gum disease and other oral problems.
• An exercise physiologist, who teaches you how exercise can help control diabetes and prevent complications.
• A therapist or social worker, who can help you deal with the emotional aspects of having diabetes.