After diagnosis, you (and maybe your child, depending on their age and confidence) will have been shown how to inject insulin. You and the paediatric diabetes team will also have worked out which insulin is best for your child and when to inject.

You’ve probably been given a ‘pen’ injector device. Pens are fairly easy to use and there is a whole range to suit different types of insulin.

Insulin needs to be injected under the skin – not into a muscle or a vein. Once injected, the insulin is taken into the bloodstream where it gets to work. The first few injections will probably be a bit uncomfortable or painful for your child, as you will both be tense and anxious. But as your confidence grows it will become easier.