What care to expect

Now and in future

You have a right to be looked after by a specialist diabetes team at a special clinic just for children with diabetes.

Our Healthcare team page tells you about the members of your diabetes team, but don’t forget the most important team member – you!

To begin with

When you’re first diagnosed with diabetes you might have had to go into hospital or, if you weren’t too sick and your area has the facilities, you might have been looked after at home. It doesn’t really matter, as long as you got the following:

A proper explanation of what diabetes is from a senior member of your team.
Time for you (and your parents) to talk about your feelings and worries.
To see a Paediatric Diabetes Nurse Specialist (PDSN).
Time with a dietitian to talk about food and if you need to make any changes in what you’re eating.
Someone from the diabetes team to tell your GP and school – most PDSNs will go into school to talk to your teachers about diabetes and how to look after it in school. You and your mum or dad can go as well.
Information about Diabetes UK, support groups in your area, claiming for Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

What comes next

Then there’s more detailed information about diabetes you should get:

How and where to inject and test your blood glucose levels.
What the tests mean, and when you need to get some help.
All about what insulin, food, activity, stress and excitement do to your blood glucose levels.
How to recognise and treat hypos.
What the 'honeymoon' phase is.
A phone number for 24-hour advice from your diabetes team.

Plus – time for you and your parents to ask questions and talk about your worries.

And it doesn’t stop there – you should have regular contact with your diabetes team right up until you move to the adult clinic.

You should see your PDSN regularly, go to the clinic three or four times a year, and get further information on all aspects of living with diabetes.

And every year you should have a complete medical check, a bit like an MOT.

You should also have the opportunity to see a psychologist if you’re having difficulties coming to terms with any aspect of your diabetes – they can give lots of advice and support.

Then, when it gets time to move to the adult clinic, you should have time to meet your new team and get information on how that service works. Every hospital’s a bit different, and the age that you transfer depends on your individual needs and the facilities available in your area, but the children’s team and adult team should work together to make the transfer as smooth as possible.

Further info

You might be interested in our leaflet When your child has diabetes - what care to expect, which is aimed at your parents but which you will also find interesting if you want more details about the care you should expect.

For knowing what care to expect

Our step-by-step guide to the stages of your diabetes care from your healthcare team.