Therapeutic education at debut

Abstract

The time of diabetes diagnosis, for an individual and a family, is often overwhelming; with fears, anger, myths and surrounded by personal, family and life circumstances that influence this reaction. Immediate care addresses these concerns: listening, providing emotional support, and answering questions. The focus on diagnosis is essential to establishing a good relationship and developing a personal and feasible treatment plan.

Diabetes presents in many ways in the pediatric population and, as the manifestation of diabetes differs, so does the need for individualized treatment and educational interventions. Diabetes educators perform a comprehensive assessment of the individual and family, in order to adapt the educational tools to the patient and their family and cultural context, work with patients and families to establish feasible goals to achieve their best health status.