The work of the Paediatric Diabetes Team at St Mary’s Hospital – and the parent representatives who support families across the Isle of Wight – is being highlighted on World Diabetes Day today (Friday).
Diabetes is a long-term condition where blood glucose levels become too high due to a lack of insulin or ineffective insulin. Insulin is the hormone that allows glucose to move from the bloodstream into cells to be used for energy.
There are 2 main types of diabetes: Type 1, where the body cannot produce insulin at all, and Type 2, where insulin production is low or does not work properly.
The Paediatric Diabetes Team at St Mary’s currently cares for just under 100 children on the Isle of Wight, most of whom are living with Type 1 diabetes.
Quarterly clinics are held where children and families can meet with consultants, specialist nurses, dietitians and psychologists to review care plans, access treatment advice and seek emotional support.
Paediatric Consultant Dr Akinsola Ogundiya has said:
“We look after all children with diabetes on the Isle of Wight. We deal with not just diagnosis but also the ongoing care, making sure they are safe at school or at home.
“We see each child every 3 months to make sure that blood sugar is within range, support them with their insulin devices and to look after them psychologically too.
Article continues below this advertisement “It’s a huge undertaking for the children and their families. We don’t just look after the child, but their families as well – ultimately to make sure that life is as normal as possible.”
Supporting the team are 3 parent representatives – Charlotte Power, Lauren Gallop and Hannah Ecclestone – who all have children with diabetes. Their role is to provide peer support to other parents navigating the same challenges.
Dr Laura Bohane, Paediatric Clinical Psychologist at St Mary’s, has said:
“They are really important because they understand exactly what it is like to have a child with diabetes. The team here at St Mary’s have all the knowledge and expertise, but they have the lived experience.”
Speaking to Island Echo last month, Charlotte and Lauren praised the team at St Mary’s:
“The team at St Mary’s are amazing and the support from them is brilliant. They are a lot more stretched with the big intake, but they are so good at what they do.”
Describing life with diabetic children as a ‘24/7 job’, the pair spoke of stigma and misunderstanding surrounding childhood diabetes, with many wrongly believing the condition is caused by diet alone.
They said having others to talk to who are in the same situation is often a lifeline for parents.
Lauren, speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, said:
“She has to think about everything she’s doing, constantly, plan ahead for everything. She has to carbohydrate count… everything that’s carbohydrates, she has to count for and put it into her pump before she eats so that that controls her blood sugars.”
Parents are urged to be mindful of the 4 Ts; toilet, thirsty, tired and thinner. All of which are key symptoms/signs of diabetes.
The parent representative group hold regular events designed at raising money, awareness and offering support to one another. At a recent pre-loved clothing sale a total of £433.07 was raised for Paediatric Diabetes IOW.
