11 Year Old Sneaking Candy Bars

[cindymhi]

I am at my wits end!  Do you have any suggestions for how to impress upon my 11 yr. old (Type 1 Diabetes) that eating candy bars is VERY dangerous for a diabetic?  I found candy wrappers in his jeans last night and I have no way of knowing how often he sneaks candy.  HELP!  Any suggestions will be most appreciated.

Anxious Mom

[pumpgirl03]

I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 11 and I know how hard it is to not sneak stuff. I went through a phase where I did sneak stuff at school cause I knew my parents could not find out about it.

When they did find out about it!
My parents sat down and talked to me about what I was doing to my body and that did help a lot. But also finding other kids my age I could talk to helped a lot also. There is a pen pal type thing on the JDRF Website and maybe that would help to find  someone his age to communicate with.

Hope this helps and it will get better!
pumpgirl03

[JDRF-Team-LRS]

Mom,
Your question is one that all parents of diabetic children must wrestle with and there is no easy answer.  It is very difficult for children to understand "future" in terms of the damage we cause ourselves when we eat what's forbidden.  However, I suggest you talk with your child's CDE to work out ways to *include* some treats into his meal plan.

Because diabetes is a chronic disease, we all need to find long-term coping mechanisms and children need to learn to handle peer pressure and concerns about being different.

Working with your son's medical team *and* with him, you will likely find a way to take the "sneaking" out of the treats.  Removing the "sneaking" will at least allow you & him to cover the carbos.  Focusing on the sneaking (as opposed to the treats) changes the dynamics of the interaction a LOT and can lead to very good results.

So, I suggest working at the emotional level with your son.  Listen to his feelings about food, candy at school, and any teasing he might be getting.  Really listen to what he's saying. Acknowledge those feelings to him in language he understands, so you can work *with* him.  Once he has a sense you understand what he's dealing with, he can more safely move foward thru this.

I hear your pain & worry for your son's future.  Building his emotional strengths now will pay off in the long run.

I was diagnosed as a teen, my older sister was diagnosed at age 9, and her younger daughter was diagnosed at age 4.  My sister & I are around 50 and have made very successful lives for ourselves despite "our versions" of issues you & your son are now enduring.  My niece is about to start college and while she continues to deal with these issues, she continues to mature.

Remember, diabetes requires "marathon" type skills, not "sprint" skills.  All the best.