My daughter is 15 and on type of her type one she has allot of emotional issues because she didn’t live with me for 9 years, she lived with my aunt. She was diagnosed 2 years ago and struggles to take care of it. I am so worried and don’t know how to help her! She refuses to take care of it, her a1c has been 15 for 4 months now. She gives herself insulin at night when she doesn’t feel good but she won’t check her blood sugar. I really need some advice on how to get her to at least care for it. I am so lost
Hi Rachael @Pinky26rks, first I’ll offer you A Warm Welcome to TypeOneNation Forum. I feel for you, I hear that you are frightened about her and her future.
I don’t know enough about teen emotions to offer you much help but I know you will have many really helpful thoughts here. I will offer some suggestions on diabetes management gathered from living with my diabetes for more than 60 years.
I’m guessing that you have a good basic knowledge of living with diabetes so with that in mind, I suggest that you work more with your daughter developing mutual trust while being a positive influence for her in healthy living. Let her know that you care.
You didn’t mention anything about the insulin regimen she is supposed to be using - is it MDI [Multiple Daily Injections] of rapid-acting for meals plus an evening dose of long-term background insulin? If so, you could work together at meals calculating a dose and you might even offer occasionally to do her injection - team work in trusting.
Hi, I was only recently diagnosed in January, and I’m 16. From personal experience, I had a hard time at first with my parents being involved with my diabetes. I didnt like it when they would say that we were In this together, cause I was like hang on here you mean me, I’m the one with diabetes! Or they would ask me a million times a day what my blood sugar was, which was really annoying, and then I would tell them and then they’d start panicking which didnt help. So me and my parents are starting to have a more healthy relationship, they ask me once a day and occasionally twice, and they have stopped the whole panicky thing. So my advice would be to give her a little space, but still keep a eye on things, and definitely dont panick. Just have a little sit down talk with her, and also ask her what method of communication she feels comfortable with in letting you know how she’s doing. This is just my personal experience, and I hope it maybe helps. Also I dont like it when they would take forever trying to figure out carbs and making a huge ordeal about it, so maybe if you cook dinner you could just quietly tell her the carbs or something dont just like announce it at the table. I figure out my own carbs now but if you want to be more involved. 
it also might help if she could talk to another type 1. If you want I would love to chat with her.
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Phebe @Phebe , you make a very good point about others asking “what’s your BG now?”. Keep in mind that a BG reading, an HbA1c value, etc. are just markers along the way and of themselves do not carry a lot of weight - taken together, cumulatively, they do have value.
When asked that question, I might respond in any of a few ways:
Just about where I expected,
In range or on target
Out of range - this includes below or above what is expected. For example, 90 minutes following a dinner, I expect my BG to be approaching 200 mg/dl so if the reading is 120, it is ‘out-of-expected range’.
Our BG readings, and A1c, should be used as guide-posts to help us learn and then manage our diabetes.
Hi Rachel.
I’m a younger Type 1 but have had it for nearly 15 years now…
from experience, i can say it does get better with time and as she matures.
does she by chance have an insulin pump and or CGM??
I know how you feel my t1d daughter was 9 years old when she got it. Her dad had it too didn’t take care of himself so I really didn’t know what to do so I took classes. I would see if you got any classes in your town. I would get a handle on it before it’s to late. You dont want the state stepping in and taking your daughter. My daughter was in and out of the hospital because of her t1ds and they called the state on me about it. So I had to deal with them about it but they didn’t have anything to get me on because I was doing everything the right way. Do you have a mental health place in your town I would get someone for her to talk to. I had to do that for my daughter too. I wouldn’t wait I would start looking into it. I’m here if you need someone to talk to. My email is kitaismyangel04@gmail.com
Something that might motivate her is the Petoskey of learning to drive and getting her license in a year or so. Many of most states, if not all, require a physician to sign a firm indicating they believe the person understand and is responsible about managing their condition (any of several which could potentially cause kids of consciousness). This is for first time drivers and ones with experience (my endo just recently completed another one for me).
This could be a good time for her to sit with her doctor and share her concerns, ask questions, etc,. You could ask them to discuss driving with her so she can see what goals she needs to meet in order for them to sign off. I think it’s fair to say they won’t expect perfection but they will want to see conscientious effort.