D is for Diabetes

Australians can’t afford to ignore diabetes. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reports, in 2011-2012 there were about 1 million Australians with diabetes. In the report How common is diabetes, you will see statistics on the different types of diabetes and prevalence in states/territories around Australia and a table including prevalence of Type 1 diabetes in children.

Resources available from AWCH Child Health Library

Awareness about diabetes is raised this week through Walk to Work Day WTW, organized by Diabetes Australia. This fundraising event promotes a healthy lifestyle for Australians building walking into their daily routine.

Another recent walking event held was the Walk to Cure for type 1 diabetes, T1D, hosted by JDFR (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Australia). Find on JDFR website, information about type 1 diabetes, T1D is the fastest growing chronic disease amongst Australian children. Information for parents and carers includes JDRF’s role supporting families, meeting other kids with T1D, there’s a kid’s online community and  peer support program for parents.  Information resources for health professionals, school resources, JDFR research initiatives and more can be found on the website. JDFR was voted by Australian Charity Awards, Charity of the Year 2014.

Diabetes Australia is Australia’s leading Diabetes organization and is located around Australia. Diabetes NSW hosts a website for teens and kids with type 1 diabetes, from here find multilingual resources and resources for kids such as Professor Bumblebee's guide to type 1 diabetes, D-Zone for teens and parents and teachers will also find useful links.

Many people will find helpful, basic information to increase understanding, such as the difference between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Here’s two information sheets with a child and family focus.

• Type 2 diabetes in children & adolescents.Talking diabetes information sheet no. 40 [series].

 Find essential information about type 2 diabetes including what is, the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, risk factors for type 2 diabetes, how it develops, diagnosis and management. With clear and easy descriptions adults and young adults will find the medical and educational information is reliable, reviewed by the Health Care and Education Committee of Diabetes Australia. From this starting point there are links to State/Territory Diabetes Australia organizations websites.

• What is type 1 diabetes? An information sheet for support persons: Type 1 diabetes children and adolescents. Talking diabetes information sheet no. 37, revised 2012 [series].

This is a brief overview of information and includes the symptoms and causes of type 1 diabetes. Causes or triggers of diabetes are explained as well as lifelong management and the diabetes team. Type 1 diabetes is not related to lifestyle or caused by eating too many sweets. Some people carry the genes which make them more likely to get type 1 diabetes.

There are many other diabetes information sheets on medical and educational topics the category of information is listed with topics such as healthy eating, going to hospital/day surgery, taking control, medications, mental health etc. They are available for download or can be purchased in bulk.

Diabetes Australia has an extensive links page to authoritative sources such as Health direct from Australian government partners. Link through to myDr and Diabetes: tips for children or Diabetes: tips for teenagers.  On myDr, Type 2 diabetes,  find out how type 2 diabetes was often known as adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin diabetes, more  younger people are being affected and so terminology has changed.

Key organisations, such as Diabetes Australia point to this manual for parents, Caring for diabetes in children and adolescents, a parent’s manual, edited by Geoffrey Ambler and Fergus Cameron (3 MB). The AWCH Child Health Library holds a copy of the earlier edition, it is exciting to see the third edition is now online and so easily accessible (joint project of the Children's Hospital at Westmead and the Royal Children's Hospital). This comprehensive parent manual comes with illustrations and clear text covering a wide range of topics from medical to educational and social and emotional aspects of living with diabetes.

For a helpful overview of diabetes in adolescents including transition, visit Women and Children’s health network page, parenting and child health, SA.

Health professionals will refer to Clinical practice guidelines: Type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents, prepared by the Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group for the Department of Health and Ageing, March 2005.

The AWCH Child Health Library has DVD’s and books on diabetes available for loan, such as

• Professor Bumblebee's guide to type 1 diabetes,  
• Young people & type 1 diabetes: speaking from experience,  
• Dido has diabetes,  
• It’s time to learn about diabetes and  
• Sweet kids: how to balance diabetes control & good nutrition with family peace.

Jillian Rattray

AWCH librarian
http://library.awch.org.au/
November 2014