Do you have a friend with type 1 diabetes? We asked clinical psychologist Dr Keely Bebbington, the Children’s Diabetes Centre’s McCusker Research Fellow in Type 1 Diabetes at The Kids Research Institute Australia, for her top tips on how to support a friend who has diabetes.
Try to understand what they are going through
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune condition in which the pancreas stops producing the insulin needed to process glucose. To make up for this, people with T1D require regular insulin injections.
“This might sound simple enough but managing T1D is much more complex than this, and involves many decisions each day about what to eat, how much insulin to give, and when and how to exercise,” Dr Bebbington said.
“Many people with T1D use a pump to deliver insulin, while others will use injections. Many people with T1D use a device called a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which measures how much glucose is in fluid tissue and use this to adjust their insulin dose.
“Even when using CGM, people with T1D will need to perform finger-pricks to test their blood glucose levels.
“With all these devices, injections and finger-pricks, many people with T1D can feel self-conscious about their diabetes and try to avoid drawing attention to it.
“As a result, they may try to sit out activities they would otherwise do, like playing sport, which can be really isolating.”
Be informed
Ask your family, teacher or doctor about T1D or search credible online resources, says Dr Bebbington.
“If your friend is comfortable talking about their diabetes, listen,” she said.
Learn the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Many people wrongly assume that T1D can be caused by having a poor diet made up of too many sugary foods.
“T1D has nothing to do with diet or other lifestyle choices and people with T1D can feel like they are being judged or criticised when people make this mistake,” Dr Bebbington said. “People with T1D didn’t do anything to cause the condition.”
Avoid asking questions like ‘Are you allowed to eat that?’
People with T1D can eat anything, as long as they dose their insulin appropriately, Dr Bebbington said.
“Although you’re just being protective or trying to show that you care, these sorts of questions can be frustrating for people with T1D and make them feel like they are different, when really they just want to fit in,” she said.
Make a plan together
When people with T1D experience have low blood sugar, they might start to seem a bit dazed, very tired or weak, shaky or sweaty.
“‘Lows’ can be treated with glucose but they might need some help with this,” Dr Bebbington said. “It’s best to plan ahead and ask what your friend would like you do to in this situation.
“Very low blood sugar, known as hypoglycaemia, can be very dangerous and lead to unconsciousness. If your friend seems really unwell, stay calm. Go get an adult to help, or if there isn’t an adult around, call 000.”
Be patient
“Sometimes, making sure that you have all the equipment needed to manage T1D, doing finger-pricks, calculating carbs and waiting to eat can be a pain,” Dr Bebbington said.
“This can be frustrating if you’re in a rush. These things are all important parts of managing T1D so give your friend the time and space to do what is needed.”
For more information on type 1 diabetes, visit the Children’s Diabetes Centre website.