Any ideas to make kids diabetes easier?

[knipster]

Hiya, I’m doing a design project on ways to make diabetes easier and less scary for small kids, but I was only diagnosed at 15 so I never knew, but I really want to find something that will help!
If you have any ideas or anything you wish you had when you we younger - please let me know!
Thanks x

 

[therower]

Hi @knipster . Welcome to the forum. Sounds like a great project.
You may get more input and feedback if your post was in the .....Parents or Children and Teens sub forum.
Only a suggestion, see what feedback you get here first.

Never had diabetes as a kid but I do know kids love to have a character they can relate to.

 

[knipster]

Hi @knipster . Welcome to the forum. Sounds like a great project.
You may get more input and feedback if your post was in the .....Parents or Children and Teens sub forum.
Only a suggestion, see what feedback you get here first.

Never had diabetes as a kid but I do know kids love to have a character they can relate to.

thanks for the advice!

 

[leahkian]

Hi knipster I got diabetes when i was 3 in 1979 and there was not the information that there is now. Finding someone in the public eye is always a way to start for me it was Gary Mabbutt who was a footballer and played for England. I know that one of the Jonas brothers is a diabetic i think it is the one that has been in the charts over the past year and also Sir Steven Readgrave the rower who got diabetes in later life. Maybe you could make a cartoon with the hero being a diabetic or maybe a book with information in it explaining why they need to have injections and blood tests. I no when i was young i wanted to know why was i a diabetic and not my friends, so you could find some young diabetic and parents and ask how they feel. It is all about teaching these young diabetics about the illness they have and trying to tell them about hypos and just because they are diabetics that they can still lead a normal life. I found between the age of 13 - 23 as my body changed but also going out drinking and clubbing the things you still have to do like making sure you have what you need on your person as well as something to say you are a diabetic and what meds you are on. I would also include a part on mental health but not so that it will scare children as stress can cause BS to go high and also that it is normal to hate diabetes and to ask yourself why me. I would only put it in as there is a link between diabetes and depression. What about a couloring book where you learn the children about good carbs and bad carbs as if you get diabetes say aged 7 and you have gone from eating what you want to a new way of eating. You can look up other famous people who have diabetes as the list is always growing and i wish you luck as this is a great thing that you are doing and will help children and parents learn together