Written in September 2021; updated August 2023. It’s almost time for your kids to go back to school! As a parent of a child living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), it might be a stressful period as you will have more to do than just run out to buy school supplies. This is especially true … Read more
Exercise is good for the body and soul. It improves your well-being and promotes socialization. Physical activity can also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, and help you manage stress and maintain a healthy weight. For people with type 1 diabetes (T1D), exercising improves insulin sensitivity (i.e., the body has a better insulin response), which … Read more
During the school year, children spend 30—35 hours in school each week. It’s therefore essential that their type 1 diabetes (T1D) be managed effectively and supervised, especially in primary and secondary school. Unfortunately, as the Canadian Paediatric Society highlighted, support for students living with T1D is inconsistent across Canada. In many schools, children have little … Read more
Despite your and your child’s healthcare team’s best efforts to keep your child’s blood sugar within target, severe hypoglycemic episodes can happen, and it’s best to always be prepared for the unpredictable. Should your child not be able to safely ingest any glucose tablets or fruit juice, you’ll have to administer glucagon, a hormone that … Read more
Leaving your child with a babysitter isn’t always easy. But it’s even harder when your child has type 1 diabetes (T1D). You need to make sure the person who will be caring for your child is able to manage their diabetes, and above all, knows what to do in case of a problem (e.g., hypoglycemia). … Read more
Pregnancy comes with its fair share of challenges in terms of physical and emotional changes. When coupled with type 1 diabetes (T1D), pregnancy also affects blood sugar management and maternal and fetal health. Certain risks may be increased for both the mother (e.g., more frequent hypoglycemia, premature delivery, high blood pressure) and the baby (e.g., … Read more
When a child gets a type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosis, the news can be unsettling to both the child and their parents. The diagnosis usually follows a sudden onset of symptoms (e.g., thirst, weight loss, frequent urination) or unusual behaviour (e.g., fatigue, restlessness). These symptoms can be a cause for concern for the family, but … Read more
People with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have their glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level checked regularly. This important value is measured through a blood test every three to six months and reflects average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. In the 1980s, a major study with people with T1D showed that the closer … Read more
It’s winter and yet, for some families, it’s already time to think about next summer as registrations for day camps, or overnight camps, begin. However, it is not always easy for parents whose child is living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to choose a summer camp, especially when the child is not independent in the … Read more
The month of October is well underway, and soon we will be celebrating fall’s spookiest event: Halloween, or as many families see it, a time for candy, chips and chocolate! But parents with children who live with type 1 diabetes (T1D) might see it as the perfect recipe for a glycemic rollercoaster. Here are a … Read more
