Raising A Child As A Parent With Type 1 Diabetes

May 29, 2018

3 min read

Raising a child as a parent with Type 1 Diabetes has introduced some interesting challenges, but it has also made some things easier. This year we’re introducing Clara to volunteer work and fundraising by taking part in the Sun Life – Walk For The Cure.

What is Type 1 Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, called beta cells.

The rate of T1D incidence among children under the age of 14 is estimated to increase by three per cent annually worldwide (Source).

As a father with T1D, the chances of my child having diabetes are 1 in 17. While this isn’t significantly higher than an average child’s chances it is higher, and we have already tested Clara twice in her young life (she didn’t even cry!)

My Life With T1D

I was diagnosed with T1D when I was 20 months old – an age Clara will reach in August of this year. As if raising children isn’t hard enough, my parents had to deal with their first child being diagnosed with a chronic condition while my mom was pregnant with my brother. They also did this in a city where they had no family. Now that I’m a parent I really can’t imagine how they did it.

One of the positives of being diagnosed so early is that I don’t know life any other way. It hasn’t been a challenge for me to adapt my lifestyle, or my eating habits as I have only ever known life as a diabetic.

The challenges, however, are not fun.

After 30+ years as a diabetic it has taken a toll on my stomach and I’ve been diagnosed with a mild case of Diabetic Gastroparesis. Wounds take longer to heal, things like oral hygiene are more complicated and the constant testing and carb calculations is not something I ever get a break from.

Raising A Child As A Parent With Type 1 Diabetes

In addition to those complications, I am now a stay-at-home-dad who has a busy toddler running around. I’ve had to find unique places to give myself injections so that Clara won’t suddenly decide to climb on me or bump me while a needle is in my arm or leg. I hear stories of stay-at-home-parents who forget to eat throughout the day, and that is just not something I can allow to happen. This makes meal time for both Clara and I important, and has made focusing on eating healthy for both of us easier. It also means that I make sure we are staying active throughout the week for both of our sakes.

As Clara gets older we will continue to teach her about diabetes, and I’m sure she’ll slowly learn that it’s not normal for adults to give themselves injections every day. I will also hope with all my might that she is never diagnosed.

Sun Life Walk For The Cure

There are, however, children that are diagnosed every day. It’s for those kids, and the hope that there will be a cure in my lifetime, that we fundraise. This past year we participated in the Sun Life Walk For The Cure. Growing up my family participated for years and I have many fond memories of past walks.

This year was the 25th anniversary of the walk. In the past 25 years there have been some amazing research advancements – like the Edmonton Protocol, the artificial pancreas, continuous glucose monitoring and beta cell regeneration – and that’s all thanks in part to the donations received from the Walk for the Cure.

We were fortunate enough to raise over $1500! We have you to thank for that!