Introduction
Diabetes is known to have psychological and social impacts in children, this is the thesis statement. Medical consultants have revealed different kinds of psychotherapies devised to support children and their families to deal with such impacts (Holt et al, 2011). Studies have pointed out on how a greater percentage of children are affected by the condition with estimates pointing to about 20 percent of children in United Kingdom. Studies have discovered the long term impacts of the condition with experts ascertaining that diabetes is a life sentence which is difficult to treat despite the available treatment and prevention programs (Holt et al, 2011).
Psychosocial impacts
Studies have discovered emotional and behavioral problems that children with diabetes are faced with as most of the psychological and social facets are often missed due to the great emphasis placed on maintenance of blood glucose level (Holt et al, 2011). The psychological and social impacts discovered by studies range from family behavior and support, stress, quality of life and peer and child support (Holt et al, 2011). Studies conducted in the areas have implicated problems associated with family support and behavior with parents pointing out lost child personality, distorted physical well-being, lost interest in schooling and reduced participation in activities away from home and families (Holt et al, 2011). In addition, family conflict has been discovered to be prevalent in children with diabetes and their families due to requirement of strict adherence to medications and diabetic control programs (Holt et al, 2011).
Stress as a psychosocial problem has impacted negatively on children with diabetes; studies have discovered a number of stressors and encounters as a result of diabetes condition. Some of the stressor includes the need to keep up with daily completion of self-care activities, the impact on social interaction with other members of family, peers, teachers and the interference of hypoglycemia associated with daily activities. Medical specialists have blamed stress be a factor affecting metabolic control in the body and thus interfere with self-care activities with is important for daily management of the condition in children (Holt et al, 2011).
In studying diabetes in children medical specialists have asserted on the importance of linking relationships of children with diabetes and their families (Holt et al, 2011). Moreover, peers and friends have also been discovered to be important for the social well-being of children with diabetes since there is a correlation with adherence to self-care activities and metabolic control and thus support from both parties are important. To children with diabetes, the relationship tends to diminish as they try to exclude themselves from others and as such individual beliefs in the possibility of treatment diminish affecting dietary and self-care activities. Diminished support from families, friends, peers and teachers leads to more depression and anxiety impacting greatly on treatments and management of the condition in children.
Diabetes in children also affects quality of life greatly according to studies as it is associated with increased worries, reduced satisfaction in life activities and poor health perceptions (Holt et al, 2011). Increased worries deprive children of good sleep, good eating habits and effective self-care activities while also relating to education, diabetes affects schooling as children loss focus and interest in school activities.
Conclusion
The above discussion points to one fact, diabetes impacts negatively on psychological and social welfare of children. Predominantly, it is clear that psychological functioning and metabolic control contributes to most of the problems associated with the condition (Holt et al, 2011). There is need for more therapies and treatment programs aimed at eliminating or managing the condition as there is direct relationship between the condition and psychosocial lifestyle of children.
Reference
Holt, R. I. G., Cockram, C., Flyvbjerg, A., & Goldstein, B. J. (2011). Textbook of Diabetes. New
York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.