It is difficult for your child to understand what has happened and that an injection helps them to stay healthy. They may see the injections as a punishment. You may be able to simply explain to your child that diabetes just happened – “Johnny got asthma, it’s nobody’s fault, you didn’t catch it”.
Your toddler is developing a will of their own so they may resist finger pricks and injections. Again you may explain – “Injections are medicine, so you don’t have to go back to hospital”.
Painful procedures are frightening to toddlers and pre-schoolers so these should be performed quickly and treated as routine. Prolonging the agony only makes things worse for you and your child.
Your child may gradually be taught about hypo symptoms. From about four years old, you can draw their attention to the way they are feeling during a hypo, so that they begin to recognise their symptoms and ask for help.
You may gradually encourage your child to learn about food choices… but they will not have developed a concept of time at this age so they will not be able to connect times with insulin and food.
