If you’re the parent or caregiver of a child who has type 1 diabetes, you may feel overwhelmed by the intense responsibility of helping them manage their condition. As teenagers get older, they may face additional challenges while needing to take a greater role in their own diabetes treatment. This can make it hard for you to find the right words of support and guidance.

This article aims to offer practical tips for parents of teens with type 1 diabetes.

Facilitating a Supportive School Environment

The school plays an important role in your teen’s diabetes management. They spend eight hours there most days — outside of your supervision.

One myT1Dteam member reflected on their own experience in high school: “​​It was a challenge to calibrate my meter in high school because I only had the bathroom for privacy. Carrying that brick around, the test strips, the two bottles you used to calibrate it, the glass vial, and syringe needles was no doubt something I wanted to hide, and I hid it well.”

As your child’s caregiver, you can work with teachers, administrators, and the school nurse to create a supportive environment that allows your teen to properly manage their diabetes care during the school day. You can do this through a 504 management plan, which states that public schools must make “reasonable accommodations” for a child’s type 1 diabetes.

To help the school learn more about your teen, provide comprehensive information about their condition, including emergency protocols and medication requirements. Encourage open communication and collaboration between school staff and health care professionals.

Managing Extracurricular Activities

Participating in extracurricular activities is crucial for social and emotional development, which means you should help your teen communicate and plan ahead for sports, clubs, and outings.

Teens with type 1 diabetes are more prone to hypoglycemia (low blood glucose, or sugar, levels) — particularly during physical activity. Teach your teen how to recognize and respond to changes in blood glucose levels during physical exertion, and make sure they pack healthy type 1 diabetes-friendly snacks. Knowing the symptoms of low blood sugar can help your teen respond to it in a timely manner. Proper precautions and tight control of diabetes can allow young people to not only participate but also excel in extracurricular activities.

Nurturing Peer Relationships

Living with type 1 diabetes means teens sometimes feel isolated or different from their peers. Encourage open conversations about their condition, and provide opportunities for them to educate their friends. Foster supportive friendships by organizing social activities in which your teen feels comfortable discussing their diabetes. Remind them that having diabetes doesn’t define their identity.

Prioritizing Mental Health

Managing type 1 diabetes can be emotionally taxing for teens. Their mental health can contribute to their physical health and vice versa. “It’s very important to take care of your mental health. Your mental health can have a major impact on your diabetes,” one myT1Dteam member shared.

Keep an eye out for signs of stress, anxiety, or depression. Encourage your teen to express their feelings openly. Offer reassurance and validation while seeking professional support if needed. Promote healthy coping strategies such as regular exercise, relaxation, and maintaining a balanced lifestyle as a family.

Setting Realistic Expectations

It’s important to support your teen and allow them to live a fulfilling life despite their diabetes. Help them set realistic goals and expectations, acknowledging that managing their condition may present challenges at times. Celebrate their successes, no matter how small, and provide gentle guidance when setbacks occur.

Encouraging Independence

As adolescents become young adults, it’s crucial to help them independently manage their type 1 diabetes. Whether they’ll eventually go off to college or move in with roommates, it will take time for them to feel comfortable managing their condition without you around.

Start by gradually involving preteens in tasks such as monitoring their glucose, working their insulin pump or injections, and counting carbohydrates. Provide guidance and support while allowing them to make decisions about their care. During the teen years, allow them to start taking ownership over their care, and let them know that it’s OK to ask for help. Encourage your teen to openly communicate with their health care team.

Supporting Yourself

As a parent, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed or uncertain about how to best support your loved one with type 1 diabetes through their teenage years. Your own self-care is critical to help your adolescent thrive. Connect with other parents facing similar challenges through support groups or online communities like myT1Dteam. Sharing your experiences and asking for advice or insights can provide valuable peer support for you and your teenager. With a mixture of support and independence, your teen can have a high quality of life while living with type 1 diabetes.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On myT1Dteam, the social network for people with type 1 diabetes and their loved ones, more than 2,400 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with type 1 diabetes.

How do you help your teen cope with type 1 diabetes? What tips do you have for other caregivers of teens with type 1 diabetes? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.