Taking care of youth who have diabetes can be challenging, which is why it’s important for parents, caregivers, and health care professionals to have the necessary resources to work as a team. This National Diabetes Month, we are focusing on ways to support youth who have diabetes with their care. Here, we’re highlighting previous blog posts with guidance for working with youth and their parents or caregivers to manage the child’s diabetes.

• Teens, Genes, and Food Choices: What Contributes to Adolescent Obesity?
  Dr. Paule V. Joseph, chief of the Sensory Science and Metabolism Unit at the National Institute of Nursing Research, talks about the rise of obesity in adolescents, the diabetes-related health implications, and what health care professionals can do to reduce young people’s risk for obesity.

• Promoting Better Sleep Habits in Adolescents with Type 1
  Dr. Sarah S. Jaser, associate professor of pediatric endocrinology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, discusses the impact of insufficient sleep in teens with type 1 diabetes and the importance of promoting healthy sleep habits for adolescents.

• Diabetes Care and the Adolescent Population: Navigating the Transition of Roles and Responsibilities
  Dr. David Schwartz, associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and the director of the neuropsychology program at Texas Children’s Hospital, shares insights on how providers can facilitate shared responsibility for diabetes care while minimizing conflict between adolescents and their parents/guardians.

• Parents, Teens, and Diabetes…It’s a Balancing Act
  Dr. Tim Wysocki, adolescent psychologist from Nemours Children’s Health System, shares his tips for navigating the triad of the doctor, the teen, and the parent, and the dynamics of shared decision-making in providing care to adolescents with diabetes.

To learn more about taking care of youth who have diabetes, check out our National Diabetes Month page for information and resources you can use to spread awareness, including a toolkit with a flyer and shareable social media posts.

What tips do you have for working with youth who have diabetes? Tell us in the comments.