Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and their friends: the influence of this interaction in the management of the disease

The effect of finger puppet on pain and emotional manifestation for venous blood collection in the pediatric emergency department: A randomized controlled trial

AIM

To determine the effect of distraction with a finger puppet for venous blood collection in the pediatric emergency department on children's pain and emotional manifestation.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trial with 80 children (aged 3-6 years) who applied to the pediatric emergency department between October 2021 and March 2022. The attention of child was distracted from the procedure by playing with finger puppets before and during the venous blood collection in the finger puppet group. The children in the control group underwent routine blood collection. The procedural pain was measured with the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability Scale (FLACC) and the emotional response was measured with the Children's Emotional Manifestation Scale (CEMS).

RESULTS

The mean FLACC pain scores of the children in the finger puppet group were statistically significantly lower than the children in the control group (p < 0.001). It was also found that the finger puppet group's mean scores of CEMS before and during the procedure were statistically lower than those of the control group (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Finger puppets can be used to reduce pain and positively change children's emotional responses during painful procedures such as blood collection.

Knowledge of young people living with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers about its management

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE

We sought to investigate knowledge and skills of type 1 diabetes (T1D) management among young people living with the disease and their caregivers. Our aim is to provide baseline evidence to inform T1D self-management education for young people living with the disease and their caregivers.

BACKGROUND

Both local and international guidelines recommend ongoing T1D self-management education for people living with the disease. This is because T1D often develops among young people who rarely have the competencies to adequately manage their condition. However, the extent to which young people living with T1D and their caregivers can self-manage this chronic disease in a low-resource country like Ghana is unknown.

METHODS

Using a phenomenological study design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 young people living with type 1 diabetes, 12 caregivers and 6 healthcare providers in southern Ghana. Data were collected at homes, hospitals and support group centres of participants via face-to-face interviews, photovoice and video-conferencing. The data were analysed thematically using QSR NVivo 11.

RESULTS

The young people living with T1D and their caregivers demonstrated knowledge and skills in the self-monitoring of blood glucose, and the treatment of hyperglycaemia. Areas of more marginal or lack of knowledge were concerning carbohydrate counting, severe hypoglycaemia and the management of intercurrent illnesses. Young persons living with T1D and their caregivers received their management information from healthcare and non-healthcare providers. Access to diabetes self-management education influenced T1D management knowledge and practices.

CONCLUSION

Young people living with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers possessed limited scope of knowledge on type 1 diabetes self-management. Multiple sources of T1D knowledge were found, some of which may not be helpful to patients. The knowledge gaps identified compromises transitional independence and self-management capacity.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

It is important for clinicians and organizations that provide T1D education to provide diabetes self-management education also on managing hypoglycaemia, carbohydrate counting and managing T1D during intercurrent life events among young people living with T1D.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Patients and their caregivers were interviewed as research participants. They did not conceptualize, analyse, interpret or prepare the manuscript.

Supporting disengaged children and young people living with diabetes to self-care: a qualitative study in a socially disadvantaged and ethnically diverse urban area

OBJECTIVE

To explore how to enhance services to support the self-care of children and young people (CYP) clinically considered 'disengaged' by diabetes services.

DESIGN

Qualitative study.

SETTING

Two diabetes clinics in an ethnically diverse and socially disadvantaged urban area in the UK. Eligible participants were CYP living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes aged between 10 and 25 years who did not attend their last annual hospital appointment.

PARTICIPANTS

22 CYP (14 female and 8 male) aged between 10 and 19 years old took part. The sample was diverse in terms of ethnicity, age at diagnosis, family composition and presence of diabetes among other family members.

DATA COLLECTION

Semistructured interviews.

DATA ANALYSIS

Data were analysed thematically.

RESULTS

Analysis of participant accounts confirmed the crucial importance of non-medicalised care in CYP diabetes care. A life plan was considered as important to participants as a health plan. Participants valued the holistic support provided by friends, family members and school teachers. However, they found structural barriers in their health and educational pathways as well as disparities in the quality of support at critical moments along the life course. They actively tried to maximise their well-being by balancing life priorities against diabetes priorities. Combined, these features could undermine participants engagement with health services where personal strategies were often held back or edited out of clinical appointments in fear of condemnation.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate why diabetes health teams need to appreciate the conflicting pressures experienced by CYP and to coproduce more nuanced health plans for addressing their concerns regarding identity and risk taking behaviours in the context of their life-worlds. Exploring these issues and identifying ways to better support CYP to address them more proactively should reduce disengagement and set realistic health outcomes that make best use of medical resources.

Brinquedo terapêutico para crianças com Diabetes Mellitus tipo I: intervenções no domicílio

Resumo Objetivo Descrever o uso do brinquedo terapêutico no cuidado domiciliar de crianças com Diabetes Mellitus tipo 1. Método Estudo qualitativo do tipo Estudo de Caso, realizado com crianças com diagnóstico de Diabetes Mellitus tipo 1, residentes no interior do Paraná. Os dados foram coletados em 2018, por meio de entrevista com as mães, sessões de brinquedo terapêutico com as crianças e anotações no diário de campo. A análise dos dados foi realizada seguindo os preceitos da análise de conteúdo. Resultados As crianças simularam situações cotidianas com o brinquedo terapêutico com naturalidade, evidenciando que cuidados com a glicemia e aplicação da insulina fazem parte da rotina. Contudo, demonstram sinais de insatisfação com a própria saúde, traçando comparações com crianças que não apresentam a doença e demonstrando suas angústias quando submetidas a procedimentos dolorosos. Conclusão A utilização do brinquedo terapêutico permitiu a abertura de um canal efetivo de comunicação entre criança e profissional, possibilitando ao pesquisador compreender a percepção das crianças sobre sua condição de saúde e desenvolver orientações e cuidados direcionados. Implicações para a prática Ao utilizar o brinquedo terapêutico, recurso de intervenção na assistência de enfermagem, como tecnologia de cuidado, amplia-se as possibilidades de atuação da enfermagem pediátrica, auxiliando crianças em condições crônicas.

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Pediatric Patients and Its Impact on Relationships in the Family Environment

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus on family environment relationships, as well as the management and approach to this disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred one children, 52.47% male and 47.52% female, with an average age of 8.55 ± 4.01 years, diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Quantitative cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using the validated questionnaires "Modified Diabetes Quality of Life" and "Questionnaire for the assessment of psychological impact in parents/guardians of diabetic children".

RESULTS

Most of the children (70.3% versus 29.7%) identified diabetes as unpleasant or not fun. The ≤5-year-olds expressed that they felt concerned about the consequences of being diabetic (8.1% by age group), as opposed to the 10-year-olds who did not feel concerned (85.1% by age group), P <0.001. The family environment was affected in 98.1% (n=99) of the cases.

CONCLUSION

Self-care of type 1 diabetes mellitus in pediatric patients is a complex process that impacts the family environment and their relationship with their peers, especially for children under the age of 5. Fear, concern and insecurity were prevalent feelings in children suffering type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Pre-adolescent children's experiences of receiving diabetes-related support from friends and peers: A qualitative study

Background

While pre‐adolescent children with type 1 diabetes receive most support from their parents/caregivers, others also contribute to their care. This study explored pre‐adolescent children's experiences of receiving diabetes‐related support from friends and peers. The objective was to identify how children could be better supported by their friends and peers to undertake diabetes self‐management.

Methods

In‐depth interviews with 24 children (aged 9‐12 years) with type 1 diabetes. Data were analysed using an inductive, thematic approach.

Results

Children gave mixed accounts of their experiences of speaking to their school/class about diabetes with some indicating that this had resulted in unwanted attention. Most individuals reported that other children had a limited understanding of diabetes and sometimes acted in insensitive ways or said things they found upsetting. Virtually all children described having a small number of close friends who were interested in learning about diabetes and provided them with support. These friends provided support in three overlapping ways, as “monitors and prompters,” “helpers” and “normalizers.” While some children described benefiting from meeting peers with type 1 diabetes, most indicated that they would prefer to develop friendships based on shared interests rather than a common disease status.

Discussion and conclusions

Friends and peers provide several kinds of support to pre‐adolescent children with diabetes. Health professionals could consider ways to assist small friendship groups to undertake monitoring and prompting, helping and normalizing roles. Parents, schools and health professionals could explore ways to normalize self‐management practices to better support children with diabetes in school settings.

Instructional therapeutic toy in the culture care of the child with diabetes type 1

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the experience of the child with diabetes type 1 in the care related to the techniques of glycemic monitoring and insulin application by use of instructional therapeutic toy, in accordance with the culture care. Method: Qualitative study with premise of the ethnonursing carried out in secondary public service of reference in the treatment of diabetes, in the city Fortaleza, Ceará State, between January and November of 2014, among 26 school-age children. Based on the Observation, Participation, Reflection Enabler, were developed educational activities using instructional therapeutic toy. Results: The children expressed doubts regarding the insulin therapy and the glycaemia checking. They also were interested in the orientations mediated by means of the therapeutic toy in the culture care. They asked about the rotation, location and administration of the insulin. Some children asked for the syringes to play and learn how to inject it in the dolls. Conclusion: To bring in this activity promoted approximation and effective communication with the child in the educational approach, increasing its ability in the self care.

Children's experiences of managing Type 1 diabetes in everyday life: a thematic synthesis of qualitative studies

AIMS

To explore the everyday experiences of children (aged ≤ 12 years) with Type 1 diabetes to identify factors that help or hinder diabetes self-management practices.

METHODS

Eight databases (Embase, Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsychInfo, ASSIA, ERIC and ProQuest Dissertations) were searched in 2016 to identify qualitative studies exploring children's views about self-managing diabetes. Data were extracted, coded and analysed using thematic synthesis.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies from five countries were included in the review. Synthesis of studies' findings resulted in the identification of three overarching analytical themes. The first theme, 'Understandings of diabetes and involvement in self-management', outlines ways in which children understand diabetes and develop self-management responsibilities. The second theme, 'Disruption to life and getting on with it', reports children's frustrations at disruptions to everyday life when managing diabetes, and how attempts to appear normal to family and friends affect self-management practices. The third theme, 'Friends' support', describes how friends' reactions and responses to diabetes affect children's ability to appear normal and willingness to disclose information about diabetes, and support provided by 'informed friends', or peers with diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the synthesis has identified how children's everyday life experiences inform ways in which they undertake diabetes self-management, it was not possible to determine new ways to provide support. To help children optimise their glycaemic control, further work should be undertaken to identify their need for support and which takes into account the potential ways in which parents, friends and peers can offer assistance.

Serious game development as a strategy for health promotion and tackling childhood obesity

Objectives:

to develop and assess a serious game on healthy eating and physical activity to promote health and tackle childhood obesity.

Method:

a descriptive, applied and methodological study.For the development of the game, the following steps were taken: conceptualization, pre-production with the development of the game documentation, prototyping, production and assessment of thecomputer and health experts.

Results:

a prototype has been developed up to beta version. The game was positively assessed both in terms of gameplay and mechanics, and in relation to the content presented, standing out as a powerful strategy for health promotion. The information from the assessment phase contributed to the settings in the software in order to make it available in the future for the target population of this research. The greatest advantage of the proposed game is the fact that it is an open educational resource.

Conclusions:

the expert assessments showed that the game has great educational potential and it is considered suitable for future application to the target audience.The serious game can become a technological teaching resource available for use in schools and health facilities, and can also be reused for the production of other educational games by accessing its source code.