(ARA) – You may have heard that diabetes runs in families. But diabetes doesn’t have to run a family’s life, as long as the person with the disease is surrounded by knowledgeable friends and family members ready to assist their loved one in managing the disease.
Too often, diabetes is thought of as a senior’s disease. In reality, only 10.9 million of the nearly 26 million Americans whom the American Diabetes Association (ADA) says have diabetes are older than 65; 14.9 million develop type 1 or type 2 diabetes before their 60th birthdays. The ADA also estimates that 79 million more people are “pre-diabetic,” so being informed about what you can do to help, in an emergency or as someone dear to you struggles to manage the chronic disease, is increasingly important.
Diabetes comes in two forms: type 2, which is slow onset, and type 1, which usually develops in childhood or adolescence and is most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 5 and 18.
“Type 1 and type 2 diabetes pose some basic similarities in terms of pathophysiology and treatment; however, they are basically viewed as different diseases by clinicians,” says John Burns, III, program director for South University‘s physician assistant program. “But with either diagnosis, support from family and friends is critical in helping the patient adjust to the prescribed treatment, and knowledgeable family members and friends could mean the difference between life and death.”
With children and adolescents, parents are initially very involved in managing the disease, which may include daily injections of insulin or an insulin pump, home glucose monitoring, and changes in family dietary patterns. The challenge for the parents and children is that they also must facilitate transition of care at some point in time, so the patient becomes an adult who has the skills to manage this lifelong disease.
“Finding a medical provider that uses a team-oriented approach is important,” says Burns. “This should include doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners trained in endocrinology, dieticians, diabetes nurse specialists and mental health professionals.”
When an adult is diagnosed with diabetes the challenges are most often concerned with changing long-established habits around eating and exercising, and developing new habits for testing and managing blood sugar levels. These new habits affect daily life, and the support of family members and friends is significant in making these changes successful for the long term.
“Managing diabetes in an adult is more complicated than simply eating less sugar and exercising more,” says Burns. “Adults have preferences and habits that over the years have become closely tied to their self image and their social network. For example, national holidays and family celebrations almost always include traditional meals and snacks. Facing those events without enjoying the same traditions can cause angst and, if not addressed, could lead to frustration.”
What can you do? Instead of focusing on what the patient should no longer eat (or eat significantly less of), be sure to include a wide variety of food choices and think about adding new traditions with new recipes.
What about emergencies?
Knowing what to do in an emergency situation is critical for family and friends of a diabetic person. Too much insulin in the body could result in insulin shock and too much sugar in the body could result in diabetic coma.
A diabetic emergency can be the result of too much or too little sugar in the blood.
Signs of too much sugar and not enough insulin (hyperglycemia) include:
* Hunger
* Excessive thirst
* Visual blurring
* Fruity breath odor
* Heavy and fast breathing
* Flushed skin
* Drowsiness
Signs someone is experiencing too little sugar and too much insulin (hypoglycemia) include:
* Fast breathing
* Fast pulse
* Dizziness
* Weakness
* Sweating
* Headache
* Numbness in limbs
* Confusion/difficulty concentrating
If a friend or family member experiences a diabetic emergency, you should take the following three steps:
1. Ask: “Have you eaten today?”
2. Ask: “Have you taken your medication today?”
If the patient has eaten but not taken prescribed medication, he or she may be hyperglycemic and in danger of diabetic coma.
* If he or she has not eaten but did take prescribed medication, he or she may be having an insulin reaction.
* If you suspect an insulin reaction and he or she is conscious, give the person sugar, such as juice or a piece of hard candy.
* If you suspect hyperglycemia ask, “Where is your medication?”
3. Call 911 for help if the person is not responding to any of your questions.