Taking Care of Youth Resources

Almost 200,000 people under the age of 20 are living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. This makes diabetes the most common chronic condition in school-age youth in the United States.

Living with diabetes is challenging, no matter their age. Being a young person with diabetes presents the additional challenge of managing glucose during a period of intense hormonal fluctuations and the complexity of managing a social life, extra-curricular activities, and risk-taking behaviors. For caregivers, advocating for the rights of school-age children with diabetes can be time-consuming and full of challenges.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), has put together a Toolkit for health care professionals and caregivers alike to help navigate this challenging time.

Health Professional Toolkit – To help raise awareness about the best care for youth with diabetes, this toolkit by the NIDDK, includes social media posts that you can easily copy and share.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation – Type 1 Diabetes Resources and Support

Articles on NIDDK Website

Diabetes care and the Adolescent Population: Navigating the Transition of Roles and Responsibilities. In this Q & A session, David Schwartz, Ph.D., shares insights on how providers can facilitate shared responsibility for diabetes care while minimizing conflict between adolescents and their parents/guardians.

Managing Diabetes at School – In a perfect world, all teachers and other school staff would understand how to manage diabetes. In the reality, parents and caregivers need to provide information to the school and work with staff to keep children safe and healthy, no matter what the school day brings. This link includes information and a downloadable Diabetes Medical Management Plan.

The Role of the Community Environment in Managing Diabetes Risk – this diabetes discoveries and practice blog are full of interesting, short articles and presentations on a range of critical and timely topics. You can sign up to receive blog notifications too.

Guiding Principles for the Care of People with Diabetes – These Guiding Principles aim to identify and synthesize areas of general agreement among existing guidelines to help guide primary care providers and health care teams to deliver quality care to adults with or at risk for diabetes.

National Diabetes Month Helpful Resources

1. ADA’s Risk Quiz: 60-second online risk assessment for type 2 diabetes. ADA created a self-assessment and aversion to fill out the assessment for others. There’s also a printable version in English & Spanish that can be distributed to help ascertain risk. This is a great first step in helping individuals consider coming in for an appointment
2. Sweet People Club: Theresa Garnero founded the Sweet People Club which provides education, support, and community for individuals with prediabetes or type 2 and their families. She has excellent resources on meal planning and active living, plus she provides a free guide on flexible meal planning.
3. Spanish Language Resources: language can be a barrier to adequate and quality care. ADCES has created a number of free downloads for people with diabetes and prediabetes, which have been translated into Spanish.
4. Free Monofilaments: Lower Extremity Amputation Prevention (LEAP) provides monofilaments for free (just send them an envelope with postage!). Use these monofilaments, which delivers 10 grams of pressure, to identify those at risk of developing foot problems. (The ADA Foot Examination Pocket Chart fully explains how to conduct a foot exam, including a picture explanation of how to use a monofilament).

Websites that offer FREE handouts for diabetes education

ADA’s FREE Living with Type 2 Diabetes Program: ADA’s program includes six digital, printable journeys to teach how to live well with diabetes; a monthly e-newsletter with tips, stories, and more resources; six free issues of the Diabetes Forecast® magazine; access to an online community and local events. (The program is available in both English and Spanish).

ADA Diabetes Education Library Offers over 170 topics on diabetes that are searchable by topic and language. A treasure trove of educational info.

CDC Diabetes Prevention Program Curricula and Handouts  This site offers excellent resources for those interested in offering Diabetes Prevention Education.

National Diabetes Education Program is an online library of resources compiled by the