Randi Streisand and Maureen Monaghan, PhDs, researchers in the Center for Translational Science Children’s National Medical Center, describe the qualitative study of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in children. The study is presented in the context of T1D current treatment procedures, and behavioral aspects of care for these children. The authors emphasize that, despite the diversity of management needs, specific education is not provided properly, and clinical services for managing diabetes in young children are rarely offered. Moreover, available behavioral research involving this age group is limited in scope and quantity. In the article, the psychological difficulty of controlling type 1 diabetes, as well as potential parental stress, are given attention. Moreover, young T1D patients need to integrate their condition into a new lifestyle and get used to the transition to an adult outpatient health care network. Previous research findings concerning the population of young children with T1D are reviewed in the article, and potential clinical implications are discussed; moreover, potential directions for future research in this field are formulated.
The authors present detailed characteristics of T1D management in young children, trying to include all the necessary elements. In particular, goals of therapy include maintaining appropriate BG levels, as well as the problems of the increased insulin sensitivity potential development, unpredictable nature of patterns in diet or physical activity, and glycemic variability. Specifically, based on the literature analysis, challenges to glycemic control and physiologic challenges are considered, in particular, as neurocognitive consequences of early T1D onset. Much attention is paid to physiological challenges and issues of initial adjustment following T1D diagnosis, including physical activity and nutrition. Moreover, the high value of the research is determined by the fact of analyzing the impact of T1D on quality of life and emotional functioning in children, and anxiety and depression symptoms in parents, including parents, sleep disturbances. Potential interventions are considered, based on the presentation of a brief review of existing evidence-based practice. Thus, the research presented in this article has the potential to enable an in-depth understanding of the impact of early-onset type 1 diabetes on children.
References
Streisand, R., & Monaghan, M. (2014). Young children with type 1 diabetes: Challenges, research, and future directions. Current Diabetes Reports, 14(9), 1-14.