Monitoring of the child's health care on a daily basis, adjusting activities to always be reachable, and educating teachers and baby-sitters about diabetes becomes part of the parental experience. Anxiety and depression are often seen in parents of a juvenile diabetic. The life of a sibling is altered emotionally and in activity. There may be resentment because of the attention given to the diabetic and guilt about being healthy. Parents may ask the sibling to curtail his own activities to help with the care of the diabetic.
Diabetic children experience some common emotions and reactions.
There is often anger and sadness at having to adhere to regimentation and restriction. Concerns emerge about being perceived by peers as different. The thrust for independence seen in youth may be conflictual for the diabetic because of the intertwining parent-child diabetic health care relationship that has developed. The diabetic child may react to the emotional challenges with noncompliance and behavioral problems. The emotional aspects of juvenile diabetes are complex but manageable.