A diabetes diagnosis is a huge shock to most families and involves many changes to families’ day to day living. There is a lot of information to be taken in, new staff to meet and difficult treatment to follow. This can sometimes be quite overwhelming for families.
Due to the constant demands that diabetes presents, children and young people with diabetes are at increased risk of developing psychological difficulties. This does not mean that this is inevitable but it is something that we, the diabetes team, are aware of and try to help as much as possible. The diabetes team therefore support families to ensure that psychological needs are met alongside the medical needs of diabetes.
Following diagnosis the diabetes team try to invite all families along to our New Patient Clinic. The New Patient Clinic was established to provide a time and place for families to ask questions about diabetes management and discuss any worries and anxieties that they may have.
There is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist linked to the diabetes team who you will meet at the New Patient Clinic. The Psychologist’s role includes providing consultation to the diabetes team and working directly with children and families if required. Everyone in the team, and indeed within the family, can contribute to promoting psychological wellbeing in children and young people with diabetes.