Care at diagnosis

At hospital or at home

These days with newly diagnosed diabetes, children may receive their initial care and treatment either at hospital, at home or a combination of both, depending on your child’s health and the facilities available in your area.

If your child is going to be cared for in hospital and is under 16, s/he should be admitted to a paediatric ward staffed by healthcare professionals experienced in childhood diabetes. There should be facilities for you to stay with your child at the hospital, and the amount of time your child spends away from home should be kept to a minimum.

In some cases, your child may be treated at home by a children’s diabetes care team if s/he does not have ketoacidosis (a complication of diabetes that needs to be treated in hospital). Your child may be able to spend the day at home and sleep at the hospital at night. Such ‘home-based’ diabetes services for children, though not widespread, are being developed in some areas.

What care to expect

Whether your child is to be at hospital or at home in the first few days after diagnosis, there are certain things that should happen:

·        You should be given an explanation of diabetes from a senior member of the medical team, and appropriately written information on diabetes to back this up.

·        You should be given time to absorb the fact that your child has diabetes, and a chance to talk over the emotional impact of diabetes on your child and the rest of the family.

·        You should be able to talk over your concerns with senior staff while your child is in hospital or being looked after at home.

·        One of the diabetes care team should inform your GP about your child’s diabetes, and offer to get in contact with the school or nursery.

·        You should have several sessions with a paediatric dietitian who can give you dietary advice and help you make any changes that are needed to your family’s eating habits.

·        You should be seen by a paediatric diabetes specialist nurse.

·        You should be given information about Diabetes UK, family support groups in your area, and how to claim Disability Living Allowance to help cover the home supervision of your child now that s/he has diabetes.

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