Voice of the Diabetic

Voice of the Diabetic

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BOOK REVIEWS

by Marilyn Helton

Greetings Readers! Being the grandmother

of a very active five-year-old, I can't help but be hypervigilant about the

threat of juvenile diabetes. Taylor has watched me measure my blood glucose

hundreds of times, as well as suffered disappointments when my diabetes and/or

medications have prevented me from attending some of her preschool and birthday

celebrations. It really hit home when she recently drew a picture of me with

a huge smile on my face because I was so happy that I didn't have”. .

. that darned old diabetes any more. “If a non-diabetic child can be

so sensitive to the effects of diabetes, just try imagine what it must be

like for a child her age to experience the challenges of coping with type

1 diabetes. I've recently received three excellent books on juvenile diabetes

and would like to share the highlights of each with you.

WHEN A CHILD HAS DIABETES, by Denis Daneman, MB, BCh, FRCPC, Marcia

Frank, RN, MHSc, CDE, and Kusiel Perlman, MD, FRCPC, the Diabetes Team at

Toronto's famous Hospital for Sick Children, is a good read for parents trying

to help young children deal with conditions they can't understand, and older

children to accept their “difference” and manage it responsibly.

Packed with case histories, useful charts, diagrams, and tips for day-to-day

living, When A Child Has Diabetes also shows parents how to know when

diabetes is not being managed well and what to do to reduce the risks of complications.

Touching on topics such as balancing food intake, activity, insulin and blood

glucose control, making meals work, unraveling the mysteries of adjusting

insulin doses, along with managing hyperglycemic (highs) and hypoglycemic

(lows). Examples are illustrated with actual case history scenarios. Parents

and caregivers looking for solutions in terms of day to day living will appreciate

this approach. Also included are excellent chapters on emotional factors helping

diabetic children adjust to diabetes, growth and development issues from toddlers

to teens, and how to put complications in proper perspective.

WHEN A CHILD HAS DIABETES; 1999; Firefly Books (U.S.), Inc.; $14.95, is

an interesting read through the eyes of parents, caregivers and diabetic children

themselves.

If you're looking for a book which features the latest advances in diabetes

care for children, the American Diabetes Association's GUIDE TO RAISING A

CHILD WITH DIABETES, Second Edition by Linda M. Siminerio, RN, PhD CDE, and

Jean Betschart, MN, MSN, CPNP, CDE, is filled with the most up-to-date information.

One of the nation's newest concerns is discovering that type 2 diabetes, formerly

thought an adult-onset disease, is being diagnosed in large numbers of childhood

populations. Lifestyles focused on unhealthy foods served in over-sized portions,

along with lack of physical activity, are thought to be the impetus in the

development of type 2 diabetes in children. Experts in the medical community

are predicting that these children will develop the complications of diabetes

at much earlier ages, in their early to mid-thirties, as opposed to the sixties

and later.

GUIDE TO RAISING A CHILD WITH DIABETES also addresses practical concerns,

such as helping your child accept meal planning in terms of dietary exchanges

and carbohydrate counting, holiday parties, eating out with workable solutions.

As parents and caregivers become aware of the effects that different foods

can have on the diabetic child's blood glucose, they'll learn how to balance

the foods with insulin or exercise.

Authors Siminerio and Betschart cover age-wise concerns in raising a diabetic

child from infancy to adolescence, including contemporary issues such as diabetes

and your child's friends, school situations, participation in organized sports,

feelings, dating, driving, and problems such as eating disorders, tobacco,

alcohol and illegal drug use. An excellent, easy to understand guide which

includes a good resource guide at the back of the book; highly recommended.

Published by the American Diabetes Association; 2000; $16.95.

As if parenthood in and of itself isn't enough of a challenge, imagine yourself

with two young children, both diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, 16 months

apart. LIVING WITH JUVENILE DIABETES, by Victoria Peurrung, is told

from a mother's perspective and concerns diabetes and its impact on one family

when both of their young children develop the disease. Peurrung's gift of

words in the opening chapter, “The Devastating News,” instantly

draws the reader into her world through her ability to relate to a parent's

emotions when receiving the news that her child is being diagnosed with diabetes.

Her experiences, peppered with positive encouragement to parents and caregivers

to "hang in there" and not give up, are truly inspirational.

LIVING WITH JUVENILE DIABETES is filled with practical information

based on Peurrung's quest to learn as much as she could about the disease,

as well as good information on medical devices and resources. She addresses

issues such as discrimination in schools and day care centers, the diabetic

child's rights in school and children's camps, and finding good childcare

providers. There are also good chapters on handling sick days, exercise and

nutrition, as well as advice on counting carbohydrates, sample menu plans,

reading food labels, using healthy food substitutes and food analysis charts.

This is a very practical handbook from a Mom who's “been there and done

that.” Author Peurrung has even included a chapter of recipes which are

good for the whole family!

I found this book a well written journey of personal experience on a 24/7

basis, and was pleased to find a good resource chapter with website addresses

at the end of the book. Highly recommended. Published by Hatherleigh Press;

2001, by Victoria Peurrung; $14.95, US/ $21.99, Can.

There you have it until we meet again with our Spring reviews. In the meantime,

I wish you all well. Be sure to live in the present, because each moment is

a gift!

Marilyn Helton, a type 2 diabetic since 1993, is the publisher of CINNAMON

HEARTS: The Art of Living A Winning Diabetic Lifestyle, a positive-power

online E-zine for diabetics and their families. You can find more of Marilyn's

book reviews, articles and recipes online at http:diabeticgourmet.com/ and

www.fabulousfoods.com/ Visit the

Cinnamon Hearts website at http://members.nbci.com/cinnhearts/

for more seasonal and motivational articles, plus dozens of diabetic recipes.

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