My 13 yr old brother has had diabetes for a little over 3 yrs now and to this day still does not like to tell people he has it. My parents and I would like him to tell people just in case something would ever happen. We all go to a juvenille diabetes support group as a family once a month but it doesnt help him in that respect. How do we get him to feel more comfortable with it in order to tell people.?
Telling people is probably one of the hardest things to do. Especially, I feel for guys. It is one of those streaks of independence kinda like not wanting to stop and ask for directions. I know personally I never wanted anyone to look at me differently so i pretended there was no problem. It is good that he has you as a family to support him. Does he have anyone that HE can talk to not in the family, that could help. Being able to talk to one person who understands and can make him feel comfortable would make a difference. Does the support group offer mentors or something like that? I mean that could be helpful and mau help him out in the long run.
Yea, he has a couple of friends who are diabetics but even with them he doesnt like to talk about it. The support group is mainly to help the parents cope and understand what all needs to be done. They seperate the kids from the adults and the kids will usually go and play different games sometimes diabetic related but thats about it.
It is really hard and I do sympathize with your brother. It is really hard to get accustomed to telling people anything. However, at this age it may be better off for him even if it annoys the heck out of him that wither you or your parents talk to those who should know or need to know. It could be better for him at some point that others know and know what to do.
thanks... yea at the beginning especially we were the ones telling people, because he didnt want anyone to know then. so i guess it just takes some time and he is improving on it. but we deff. make sure people who need to know does know. it would just be nice if he felt comfortable enough to tell them himself since he is the one living with it. but i guess its like all things it just takes time and everyone adjusts to things at their own rate.
i used to be like that alot. not wanting to let anyone in altho it is in his best interest if he tells people its very hard to let people outside your family know. i would just let him tell people when he feels like it. dont pressure him into anything. =]
I was always afraid to tell people. I babysit a lot and I felt like I had to tell the parents, but I didn't want them to not let me babysit because they were scared of what would happen. Finally, my educator told me that it is just too bad on everyone else. They don't have to live with it, and we do. We are not asking people to do anything extraordinary for us, we are just telling them of our situation. I was also embarrassed to tell my relatives and my friends. But my educator gave me something else to think about: would they rather take care of you in an emergency situation or watch you die? Scary thought, but that made me look at it in a different way too. Teachers are also interesting - some care a lot and some could care less. It is really unpredictable what people will say.
Your educator had a really good way of looking at it for different situations. I can try telling him that and see if it if helps. But yea he has some of the same problems with the teachers... some really worry about him and some seem like they dont care. Thanks though
Hello, I am Andrew Henderson I am Fifteen years old and have had type one Diabetes for six years.
I understand the position your Brother's in. I was worried and a and little bit embarrassed, But I just told myself: It's nothing to worry about if your friends are good friends it won't make a difference, I mean sure they'll care but in a good way, I mean my friends do!
they say things like: "Have you checked your Blood Sugar?", " You look Low, are you ok?", "Ah, ah, ah did you Bolus for that extra piece of cake?". Just to show they care.
If your Brother needs someone to talk to have him Email me through Juvenation ;-)
Hope this helps.
-Andrew