Parents of diabetics worried about complications

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Parents of children with type 1 diabetes are particularly concerned about the complications of the disease, new research shows.

Initially, most of the concern is centered on daily management tasks, but over time it shifts to concerns about long-term complications, such as kidney disease, blindness, and amputation, according to the report in the journal Diabetes Care.

Dr. Lisa M. Buckloh, from Nemours Children's Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and colleagues studied 30 mothers, 14 fathers, and 3 other relatives of 33 children with type 1 diabetes who participated in focus-group discussions of diabetes complications.

In general, the parents said they preferred a flexible, collaborative approach with their child's healthcare provider in discussing complications. Moreover, they wanted the information to be tailored to the child's age and duration of diabetes.

A number of participants desired more sensitive communications and improved emotional support from their healthcare professional.

Motivating children to care for their disease was cited as being particularly challenging, the report indicates. Family burnout with diabetes care over time was also observed.

Misinformation about diabetes complications was uncommon.

"Amount, depth, and timing of presentation of information about complications to youth should be tailored to the child's developmental maturity, the family's prior exposure to diabetes, and parental preferences," Buckloh and colleagues conclude.

"Parents should receive emotional support and guidance in talking with their children about complications in a positive, constructive, and motivating manner rather than using negative methods such as scare tactics."

SOURCE: Diabetes Care, August 2008.