Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

  • Housecall
  • Alzheimer's caregiving
  • Living with cancer

Preparing for your appointment

By Mayo Clinic staff

Your child's family doctor or pediatrician will probably make the initial diagnosis of diabetes, and possibly send your child straight to the hospital. There, the staff will stabilize his or her blood sugar levels, and you and your child will all learn about insulin delivery, carbohydrate counting and more. Diabetes education may also be done on an outpatient basis if your child's condition is stable.

Once your child is discharged from the hospital, his or her diabetes care will likely be handled by a doctor who specializes in metabolic disorders in children (pediatric endocrinologist). Your child's health care team will also generally include a nutritionist, a certified diabetes educator, and a doctor who specializes in eye care (ophthalmologist).

Because appointments can be brief, and there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared for any appointments you have with your child's health care team. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what you can expect from your doctor.

What you can do

  • Write down any concerns you have about your child's well-being that you want to share with your doctor.
  • Ask a family member or friend to join you, if possible. Managing diabetes well requires you to retain a lot of information, and it can sometimes be difficult to soak up all the information provided to you during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
  • Bring a notebook and a pen or pencil, to write down important information.
  • Write down questions to ask your doctor.

Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions that can help you clarify aspects of your child's care can be useful. List your concerns from most important to least important in case time runs out. Some of your concerns may be best addressed by a dietitian or a diabetes nurse educator. Ask your doctor for a referral. For type 1 diabetes in children, some topics you may want to address with your doctor, nutritionist or diabetes educator include:

  • The frequency and timing of blood glucose monitoring
  • Insulin therapy: types of insulin used, timing of dosing, amount of dose
  • Insulin administration: shots versus pumps
  • Low blood sugar: how to recognize and treat
  • High blood sugar: how to recognize and treat
  • Ketones: testing and treatment
  • Nutrition: types of food and their effect on blood sugar
  • Carbohydrate counting
  • Exercise: adjusting insulin and food intake for activity
  • Dealing with diabetes at school, summer camp and on special occasions, such as sleepovers
  • Medical management: how often to visit the doctor and other diabetes care specialists

In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.

What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:

  • How comfortable are you managing your child's diabetes?
  • Has your child had any low blood sugar episodes?
  • What's a typical day's diet like?
  • Is your child exercising? If so, how often?
  • On average, how much insulin are you using daily?

What you can do in the meantime
If your child's blood sugar isn't well controlled, or if you're not sure about what to do in a certain situation, don't hesitate to contact your child's doctor or diabetes educator in between appointments for advice and guidance.

Tests and diagnosis Complications

  • See Also

    • Hand Scheduled
    Section Focus
    Related Links
    Related Guides
    Children
    Parent
  • Diabetes
References
  1. The dangerous toll of diabetes. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/dangerous-toll.jsp. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  2. Levitsky LL, et al. Epidemiology, presentation, and diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents. http://www.uptodate.com/home.index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2009.
  3. Eisenbarth GS, et al. Pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home.index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2009.
  4. McCulloch DK. Glycemic control and vascular complications in type 1 diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home.index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2009.
  5. Kidney disease (nephropathy). American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/utils/printthispage.jsp?PageID=TYPE1DIABETES3_232930. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  6. What is diabetes: Diabetes complications. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=101308. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  7. Prevent diabetes problems: Keep your eyes healthy. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/complications_eyes/index.htm. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  8. McCulloch DK. Patient information: Preventing complications in diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home.index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2009.
  9. Skin complications. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/utils/printthispage.jsp?PageID=TYPE1DIABETES3_232934. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  10. What people with diabetes need to know about osteoporosis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Accessed Jan. 9, 2009.
  11. Levitsky LL, et al. Management of type 1 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents. http://www.uptodate.com/home.index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2009.
  12. Standards of medical care in diabetes -2009. Alexandria, Va.: American Diabetes Association. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/vol31/Supplement_1/. Accessed Jan. 28, 2009.
  13. Estimated average glucose, eAG. American Diabetes Association. http://professional.diabetes.org/GlucoseCalculator.aspx. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  14. The basics of insulin. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/utils/printthispage.jsp?PageID=TYPE1DIABETES3_263601. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  15. McCulloch DK. Patient information: Insulin therapy in type 1 diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home.index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2009.
  16. Levitsky LL, et al. Complications and screening in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home.index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2009.
  17. Robertson RP. Pancreas and islet transplantation in diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home.index.html. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  18. Low blood sugar: Definition, symptoms. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=EC9AC822-1321-C844-13C1013CF597E42F. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  19. High blood sugar: Definition, symptoms. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=EC92D98E-1321-C844-13EB771367A49526. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  20. Ketoacidosis. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/ketoacidosis.jsp. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  21. Collazzo-Clavell M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 21, 2009.
  22. Diabetes and teens. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Accessed Jan. 20, 2009.
  23. Stalvey MS. Fifty years ago in the Journal of Pediatrics. Journal of Pediatrics. 2007: 150(1) http://www.mdconsult.com/das/article/body/115791309-2/jorg=journal&source=&sp=16726925&sid=788957128/N/562819/1.html?issn=0022-3476. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  24. What is Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet? Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet. http://www.diabetestrialnet.org/about/index.htm. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
  25. International Expert Committee. International Expert Committee report on the role of the A1C assay in the diagnosis of diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2009;32:1.

DS00931

June 13, 2009

© 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Print Share Reprints

Text Size: smaller largerlarger