From eu.lohud.com
Managing type 1 diabetes can be especially challenging during the transition from adolescence to adulthood, but the good news is that support is available
Young adults with type 1 diabetes face many challenges as they transition from paediatric to adult care. Entering the adult world, with its independence and endless choices, makes this transition a very vulnerable time for these young people. Patients between the ages of 18 and 25, or “emerging adults,” are at a high risk for complications, including the highest risk of hospitalizations and mortality, but there are many ways to help during this transition.
A look into the challenges for emerging adults with type 1 diabetes
Competing priorities present the biggest challenge for emerging adults with type 1 diabetes. They may have just graduated from high school, entered the workforce or college, or both, and may be living on their own for the first time.
Diet, exercise, and sleep patterns may become less stable. And a new job, academic work, and social pressures can create higher levels of stress and anxiety. It can be hard to keep everything together, including managing type 1 diabetes. Many people with type 1 diabetes were diagnosed as children and have had the same diabetes doctor their entire lives. Pediatric care provides an approach in which families are involved and additional support is available from a psychologist and a social worker.
Adult type 1 diabetes care models give patients more freedom to choose when it comes to their care plan, and there may not be support services waiting in the wings. This abrupt switch from one approach to another — when so many other changes are taking place — can be overwhelming for emerging adults.
Five important things to know
1. Diet: Food is a central issue for emerging adults with type 1 diabetes. With as many as 75 factors affecting blood sugar throughout the day, there are hundreds of decisions to make. They have to count the carbohydrates in everything they eat and drink and calculate the correct insulin dose. This process is much more difficult when eating away from home. Commercially prepared foods served in dining halls and restaurants are often very high in carbs, with portion sizes that are hard to gauge and a lack of nutritional information.
2. Alcohol: Alcohol can cause dangerously low blood sugar, especially in the middle of the night. College students with diabetes have died in these situations, so it’s critical for young adults legally able to choose to drink to make informed choices about consumption, insulin dose adjustments, and emergencies.
3. Emotional health: Emerging adults with type 1 diabetes experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Sometimes these conditions can be directly related to diabetes and cause “diabetes distress” or “diabetes burnout.” When these conditions are not directly related to diabetes, they can make the already difficult task of managing the disease much harder.
4. Rest and exercise: A hectic lifestyle isn’t always conducive to stable sleep and exercise habits, so living a healthy lifestyle is important, since it affects blood sugars not only day to day but also in the long term.
5. Testing and treatment: Technological advances in blood-glucose monitoring and insulin delivery have transformed care for type 1 diabetes, automating some of the diabetes self-management tasks involved and even eliminating the need for finger sticks. The field is innovating rapidly, so it’s important to keep in touch with your endocrinologist for access to much needed information and prescriptions.
No comments:
Post a Comment