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Frequently Asked Questions
We get a lot of questions about diabetes. A LOT of questions about diabetes. But that's what we're here for: Questions. Answers. Support. Information. On anything from current diabetes research funding, to your child's first HbA1c test, to information about islet cell transplantation. Scroll through the topics below for more information. Or, send us your question at wizdom@diabetes.org. How do I find a diabetes summer camp for my child? How do I get a Wizdom kit for my child?
Diabetes Research - The Search for a Cure Research into preventing and/or curing diabetes is ongoing. (To donate money toward the search for a cure, click here!) Current prevention trials involve treating close relatives of people with diabetes to see if particular medications can prevent diabetes in those at higher risk of developing it. Currently, the only known "cure" for type 1 diabetes is a pancreas transplant. But such a surgery brings with it serious risks to a patient’s health. Transplant patients must take powerful drugs for the rest of their lives to suppress their immune system, so that their body won’t reject the transplant. This leaves the body with very little protection from other diseases. So pancreas transplants are not the answer. Researchers are also experimenting with transplanting just the islet cells. This treatment, though promising in theory, has not yet been successful in the long term. Presently there is no cure for diabetes, however, advances in diabetes treatment are being made all the time. The DCCT and other studies show that your child can live a healthy, happy life with diabetes. Good diabetes care can be complicated, and adjusting to lifestyle change can be difficult. But the results—a healthy, long life for you or your child—are worth it.
This is one of the questions we get most often. Diabetes summer camps are a great way for your child to go to camp, be safe, make a lot of new friends, and have a lot of fun. Click here to go to our list of ADA-affiliated diabetes summer camps.
How do I get a Wizdom kit for my child? That's an easy one! Just send an e-mail to us or call 1-800-DIABETES (342-2383) and we'll be happy to send one.
We all know that monitoring blood sugar is one of our best tools for managing diabetes. Frequent testing and good record-keeping give you the most accurate measurement of diabetes control. The HbA1c, or just "A1C," is a lab blood test that gives your child’s average blood sugar levels over the past 2-3 months. It’s the best way for you and your child’s health care team to know how well your child’s diabetes is under control. The A1C is a test that monitors average blood sugar level over time. Regular blood checks will read the sugar level at that specific moment, the A1C averages sugar levels over a 2-3 month period, giving you a better picture of your child’s diabetes control.
Your child should have an A1C test 4 times a year, or every 2-3 months. What should be my child’s A1C result goal? A1C results show the percent of A1C in the blood and the goal for people with diabetes is usually less than 7%. However, there are a lot of factors that effect children’s A1C. Check with your diabetes care provider to determine an appropriate A1C goal for your child. Is there a home A1C test? Yes. Some people do test for A1C at home. Talk with your diabetes care provider about whether this is a good option for you and your child, and be sure to follow testing instructions carefully. What kind of A1C records should we keep? Write down each A1C result with the date of test. Your child’s regular blood check log is a great place to keep these results.
Click here to go to the Parent Forum and talk with other parents of children with diabetes.
Proud sponsors of the American Diabetes Association WizdomTM program:
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Questions or comments about this page? Send us an e-mail at wizdom@diabetes.org. |
