Quality of life was identified as a key issue by Ayala and Murphy (2011), it is common for children to feel left out of special occasions such as Halloween and birthday parties due to dietary restrictions, glucose monitoring and medication administration. Children may feel upset when their friends are enjoying sugary treats that they cannot consume. They may feel like an outsider when instead of playing, they must check their blood glucose. The constant injections and finger sticks can make children feel like something is wrong with them, as their peers do not have to follow these routines. Ayala and Murphy (2011) suggest that children with diabetes are at increased risk for depression due to loss of normalcy. The researchers recommend that
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Nurses are essential members of the healthcare team, and as frontline care providers they are able to assess the family on a deep and personal level. Lowes and Lyne (2000) propose that nurses take the time to thoroughly explain through experience, literature and other resources how certain situations such as playing sports, or age groups such as adolescents going through puberty can affect hypoglycaemic control. Regardless of the age of the child, it is important for nurses to help families plan for emergency situations that could occur in every day situations, or as the child ages. Families can collaborate with nurses to create emergency care plans that can be printed as a physical resource to be distributed to other caregivers; Lowes and Lyne (2000) state that if other caregivers are competent in caring for the diabetic child, that parental stress is most often decreased and positive outcomes occur more …show more content…
Lowes and Lyne (2000) recommend separating coping strategies into emotion and problem-focused. Emotion-focused emphasises on positive emotion such as; not focusing on diabetes, accepting that the child’s health could be worse, gaining confidence and normalization. Nurses are able to help families gain confidence through praise, practice and reward. Problem-focused coping can include; advocating for the child, focusing on the child’s needs or becoming competent with the details of the disease Lowes and Lyne (2000). Nurses are able to identify maladaptive coping strategies early in the therapeutic relationship and can assist families to develop positive coping
Nurses are essential members of the healthcare team, and as frontline care providers they are able to assess the family on a deep and personal level. Lowes and Lyne (2000) propose that nurses take the time to thoroughly explain through experience, literature and other resources how certain situations such as playing sports, or age groups such as adolescents going through puberty can affect hypoglycaemic control. Regardless of the age of the child, it is important for nurses to help families plan for emergency situations that could occur in every day situations, or as the child ages. Families can collaborate with nurses to create emergency care plans that can be printed as a physical resource to be distributed to other caregivers; Lowes and Lyne (2000) state that if other caregivers are competent in caring for the diabetic child, that parental stress is most often decreased and positive outcomes occur more …show more content…
Lowes and Lyne (2000) recommend separating coping strategies into emotion and problem-focused. Emotion-focused emphasises on positive emotion such as; not focusing on diabetes, accepting that the child’s health could be worse, gaining confidence and normalization. Nurses are able to help families gain confidence through praise, practice and reward. Problem-focused coping can include; advocating for the child, focusing on the child’s needs or becoming competent with the details of the disease Lowes and Lyne (2000). Nurses are able to identify maladaptive coping strategies early in the therapeutic relationship and can assist families to develop positive coping