Psychological, social and financial issues

Social and financial provision

• Parents should be allowed time off work at the time of diagnosis to enable them to have uninterrupted access to their child and the diabetes care team
• Housing and child care: extra practical and financial support may be required to enable the young person with diabetes to be cared for in a safe environment which does not inhibit the management of diabetes
• Economic support: family or state-aided support may be required to provide uninterrupted supplies of insulin, equipment and nutrition. Some countries provide disability, travel and telephone allowances or other state benefits to offset the extra costs of care
• Parents should be advised of local or national diabetes associations and other voluntary/charitable organizations which may provide support at many levels, e.g. information and education, support groups, educational holidays/camps, financial help, etc.
• Attempts should be made to raise public awareness of the special needs of children with diabetes and the affected families. This should include
  • recognizing the early symptoms of diabetes in young people
  • prompt diagnosis
  • the urgency of treatment by an expert pediatric team
  • acknowledging the psychological, social and financial burden of diabetes on the child and family
  • the importance of reducing the short and long-term medical and psychosocial complications
• Families with serious social and financial deficits require expert assessment and support by professionals trained in social work, and in some cases there may be a need for special residential accommodation

Children and adolescents should have the same social rights as their non-diabetic peers, and no stigma nor discrimination should be attached to diabetes