Author: Layal Bou Abdo, MSN & Emma Nassif, HBSc.
Illustrator: Emma Nassif
16/03/2023
Mother: Hi sweetie, I bet you had fun today at school. What was the best part of the day?
Child: Hi Mom! Today was ok! I really enjoyed playing soccer with my friends at recess.
Mother: Oh what fun! Did any of your classmates do anything funny?
Child: Not really! Did you know that Alex just found out he has diabetes?
Mother: No, I didn’t know that. Is he ok?
Child: He seems fine. Mrs. Jen talked about diabetes, and I learned a lot!
Mother: That’s great! What did you learn about diabetes?
Child: I learned that diabetes is a disease that can change how your body uses sugar. When you have diabetes, your body can’t properly make or use a molecule called insulin. My teacher said this can cause your blood sugar levels to rise too high.
Mother: That’s right! Did you learn anything else about diabetes?
Child: Yes! I learned that there are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and type 2 diabetes is more common in adults.
Mother: You’re so smart! Do you know what causes diabetes?
Child: Well, I learned that no one knows exactly what causes diabetes, but some things can increase your risk of getting the disease, like being overweight or having a family history of diabetes. Mom, I’m scared that I might get it.
Mother: I understand that you might be worried, but let’s talk more about it. What did you learn about diabetes that’s scaring you?
Child: Alex has type 1, and he showed us this cool machine that tests the sugar level in his blood. But, you know what Mom? Sometimes he needs to go to the principal’s office to take an insulin shot! I’m really scared of needles.
Mother: I can understand why that would make you feel scared, but actually not everyone with diabetes needs insulin shots. Even if you do, there are ways to make these needles less scary, like using a smaller needle or numbing cream.
Child: Okay, that makes me feel a little bit better. Will I get diabetes if I eat a lot of sugar? Do I have to stop eating chocolate cake?! But what if I get diabetes? I don’t want to feel sick all the time.
Mother: I know it can be scary to think about. While we don’t really know how to prevent type 1 diabetes, there are ways to prevent type 2 diabetes. And don’t worry, one day of eating a lot of sugar won’t give you diabetes! We can help you eat a good balance of healthy foods, get exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight to lower your risk of getting diabetes. Does that sound like a good plan?
Child: Yeah, that makes me feel better. But if I got diabetes, will I ever be cured?
Mother: I know it can sound scary at first, but there’s actually no known cure for diabetes. But, there are medications and lifestyle choices we can make to help manage the disease, and we can stop it from getting worse. It might be a new change at first, but it is definitely manageable!
Child: Okay. Can I still do sports like my friends?
Mother: Yes, of course! Exercise and physical activity are important for everyone, including people with diabetes, to stay healthy and feel good. You might need to take some extra steps to stay safe while playing sports, like checking your blood sugar levels before and after you play, carrying snacks to treat low blood sugar, and letting your coach and teammates know about your diabetes. Your doctor can help you come up with a plan to manage your diabetes while participating in sports.
Child: Okay, good. I would hate it if I had to stop playing soccer because of diabetes.
Mother: Exactly. Did your teacher talk about any symptoms of diabetes?
Child: I think my teacher said people who have diabetes can feel very thirsty, pee a lot, get very hungry, and feel really tired all the time.
Mother: You’re such a good listener! It’s important to pay attention to your body and tell me if you have any of these symptoms.
Child: I also learned about hypoglycemia!
Mother: Wow! It is a big word. What is hypoglycemia?
Child: I learned that sometimes the sugar level in the blood drops, and you need to eat candy or chocolate. The best part! Mrs. Jen told us to inform her if Alex is not feeling ok, or if he’s tired or sleepy at recess. Alex also told us that he might become pale, and feel cold and sweating even though he is not running. So, we will all take good care of that.
Mother: You’re so responsible! You can always go ask an adult if you have any concerns or questions. And you can always ask Alex if he is ok when you notice these signs.
Child: Wait, I have one more question. If someone gets diabetes, what should they eat?
Mother: That’s a good question. Let us send an email to Nivine, our nutritionist, to help us find the answer to that question.
Nivine’s reply:
“Hello, both,
Thanks for this interesting question.
People with diabetes should eat healthy food, most of the time. just like everybody else!
You can do that simply by:
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- Having wholegrain bread and pasta, and oats instead of white bread or bagels or white pasta
- Having fruits and vegetables as snacks instead of chocolate bars, cookies or potato chips
- Eating more healthy homemade food instead of eating out
- Using healthy fats like olive oils and avocados
- Eating unhealthy food in small amounts and on special occasions (like birthdays and parties)”
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Mother: See, everybody should be learning about nutrition and trying to eat healthily at least 80% of the time, not just a person who has diabetes. Why? Because eating unhealthy food all the time and not having foods like whole grains and fruits and vegetables, can make people sick with other sicknesses like heart disease.
Child: That still sounds super yummy! Thanks for helping me feel less worried about this, Mom.
Nivine’s contact:
Email: nivineelalami@gmail.com
Instagram: @nutritionwithnivine