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Parents, adults and older kids have a wealth of material available to help them learn to manage diabetes better. Here is a list of books that you might find useful.
The
symbol and link indicates that the title is available for order on-line through Amazon.com. When you order through Amazon.com, we earn a small portion of the sale, which is used to help us deliver this web site to you.
Diabetes: An Emotional Journey by Renea Jo Zosel. Published by Zay Publishing, 2003. Hand bound hardcover, 75 pages. $24.95 ISBN 0-9743431-0-2.
Every once in a while, a book comes along that captures the emotions that parents feel about having a child with diabetes. This book is one. In fact, this book is all about the emotions we feel as parents. It's about the shock of diagnosis, the anguish when you can't make it go away, the pain in looking at the eyes of a three-year-old who is asking, "Why do I have to get stuck with pins and needles all the time?" If you have a child with diabetes, get this beautifully hand bound hardcover book and, whenever a friend asks you about your child's diabetes, simply let them read the book -- but don't let them take it out of your house. This book is too beautiful -- and too important -- to loan out.
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101 Tips for Raising Healthy Kids with Diabetes by Laura Hieronymus, MDEd, APRN, BC-ADM, CDE and Patti Geil, MS, RD, FADA, CDE. Published by the American Diabetes Association, 2006. Paperback, 128 pages. $14.95 ISBN 1-58040-242-9.
101 Tips for Raising Healthy Kids with Diabetes offers answers to various questions you may have about diabetes care. Unfortunately, some of the answers are incomplete at best or outdated at worst. In particular, two questions and answers which deal with young kids and challenges around meals (refusing to eat or forgetting snacks) focus exclusively on trying to change the child's behavior rather than adopting an insulin regimen that makes such common behavior less dangerous. For example, telling a four-year-old to eat after an injection hints at an out-dated regimen of Regular and NPH (see Care Suggestions). In another answer, a parent who feels overwhelmed is simply told to contact a local ADA office, with no mention of the great many other sources of support (CWD, JDRF, etc.). So while many of the answers are good, several are not up to the standards that we would recommend.
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Sometimes all you need is a little motivation to make positive changes in your life. That's the idea behind 28 Days to Diabetes Control! by Lance Porter, editor-in-chief of Diabetes Positive! magazine. After a good introduction to diabetes, medications, blood glucose monitoring, and other basic diabetes topics, Porter offers a 28-day program of healthy eating, exercise, and pattern management in an effort to help readers improve their diabetes control. If you're an older teen or adult and are looking for a little help to make some changes, this book is a great way to start.
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Author Catherine Feste was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 10, 47 years ago. In 365 Daily Meditations, she offers us a pearl of wisdom per day to help us through the challenges of living with diabetes. Each day has its own page, its own theme. Some are profound, others less so, but each can help you start your day with a positive attitude about diabetes and about life. If you're feeling a bit stressed or overwhelmed, 365 Daily Meditations may be just what you need.
Order 365 Daily Meditations for People with Diabetes from Amazon.com
As I read through 50 Diabetes Myths That Can Ruin Your Life, I could remember hearing many spoken to me over the past 20 years -- some by well-meaning relatives and friends. Chances are you've heard them too -- "sugar caused my child's diabetes," "you can't eat sweets," etc. The good news is that none of these myths is true, and Riva Greenberg, with help from a star-studded team of diabetes care professionals, will help you understand what living with diabetes means today. 50 Diabetes Myths is an excellent addition to everyone's diabetes library, and would make a nice gift for those "helpful" relatives and friends. Highly Recommended.
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"Live first and be diabetic second." That's the first of fifty secrets -- or rather, bits of excellent advice -- collected by Sheri Colberg and Steven Edelman from people who have lived a long life with diabetes. Some of those interviewed have lived amazing lives, such as Gerald Cleveland, age 91, who has had type 1 diabetes for over 75 years and his younger brother Bob, age 87, who has had type 1 diabetes for over 82 years. While some of the advice applies to anyone ("Watch Out For Restaurant Food"), a good bit focuses on diabetes and stresses the need to pay attention to diabetes and to take it seriously ("Count Your Carbs"). 50 Secrets of the Longest Living People with Diabetes can help you focus -- or refocus -- on what's important in life while still living well with diabetes.
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Riva Greenberg was diagnosed with type 1 when she was 18. She's lived with diabetes for over 39 years. In The ABCs of Loving Yourself with Diabetes, Riva offers 26 delightful, emotional, wonderful pages of advice for her "fellow travelers." One sentence sums up well her perspective: "I hope in your journey with diabetes you will arrive at that place, if you haven't already, where diabetes is a 'comma' in your life, as in ... 'I love my life, and I have diabetes.'" We should all be so lucky. Highly recommended.
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Bee Healthy Diabetic Log Book by Sharon B. Barker. Published by iUniverse, 2003. ISBN 0-595-27117-0. US$16.95.
If you're looking for a pre-printed, bound book in which to record blood glucose values, food eaten, insulin and other medications taken, then Bee Healthy Diabetic Log Book is worth a look. The 230-page paperback book is bascially a nicely bound log book, with six months worth of one day logs followed by a weekly summary. You fill in each day with the time of an event and what you did, such as checking your blood sugar and taking insulin. Each week begins with an uplifting illustration. If you're used to writing down everything on paper, and are not as organized as you'd like, the Bee Healthy Diabetic Log Book is an easy way to get organized.
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The Best of Diabetes Self-Management is a 462 page collection of articles from Diabetes Self-Management magazine. Each article was thoroughly reviewed and updated, so everything in this book is relevant and current. There are articles on dozens of topics, ranging from medical issues (pumps, insulin analogs) to feelings (dealing with "diabetes overwhelmus" by Richard Rubin) to dietary supplements to daycare issues. Since so much of diabetes care involves good information, this is an excellent book to add to anyone's collection.
The book can be purchased directly from the publisher by calling 1-800-664-9269 or by writing to Diabetes Self-Management, P.O. Box 10676, Des Moines, IA 50381-0676.
As the parent of a child (now adult) with type 1 diabetes, there is no greater story to be told than that of the discovery of insulin. Breakthrough offers a new, richly detailed and deeply personal perspective of one young girl -- Elizabeth Hughes -- and her family's struggle to keep her alive on a starvation diet so that she might one day enjoy a miracle -- the discovery of insulin. I cannot help but feel our family in place of the Hughes family, sharing their emotions as they watch their daughter waste away, learn about the "Miracle in Toronto," and do whatever it takes to get Elizbeth insulin so that she might be saved. Breakthrough brings a new emotional depth to what for many of us is truly the greatest story ever told. For pure historians, the authors have taken some liberties with some specifics in the interest of the story, but this is no work of fiction. Breakthrough is a must have addition to the library of everyone living with type 1 diabetes. Highly Recommended.
--JSH
Order Breakthrough: Elizabeth Hughes, the Discovery of Insulin, and the Making of a Medical Miracle from Amazon.com
You send your child with diabetes off to school each day, lunch in hand. If you're like most parents, you worry about whether or not your child will actually eat what you've packed. In Brown Bag Success, you'll learn how to select foods that get eaten rather than traded or thrown out. You'll also receive helpful hints about how to make lunchtime more interesting for your child. Each of the 84 recipies has complete nutritional information, including carbohydrates and exchanges, to help you plan your child's diet. (A personal favorite is Graham Cracker Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich.) Highly recommended for parents with school-aged children with diabetes.
Order Brown Bag Success: Making Healthy Lunches Your Kids Won't Trade from Amazon.com
A Child in Your Care has Diabetes is a collection of charts, logs, and checklists for parents to use with schools and child care providers. After copying pages from the book (save the book as a master), you'll fill in the particulars of your child's needs. Included is a staff meeting checklist to help you cover everything, testing results and instructions, field trip guidance, what to do at class parties, and many other forms that every child with diabetes needs -- even insulin pump information. If your child with diabetes attends school or day care, a book like A Child in Your Care has Diabetes can help you get organized. Highly Recommended
The book can be purchased directly from the author from the Hen House press web site. Also available in an English/Spanish edition (ISBN 0971861226, $34.95).
Order A Child in Your Care has Diabetes from Amazon.com Order A Child in Your Care has Diabetes, English/Spanish edition, from Amazon.com
While parents might find this book too short in detail, Caring for Children with Diabetes is the best book for teachers and daycare providers who have a child with diabetes in their class. The book contains clear, simple explanations of diabetes, hypoglycemia, school lunches (and those hidden sugars!), snacks and extra food requirements prior to strenuous exercise. Every parent of a school-aged child should have a copy of this book to lend to teachers at the beginning of each school year.
Order Caring for Children with Diabetes from Amazon.com
For the many CWD readers who also live with celiac disease, Dr. Green's Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic offers an exceptionally complete yet easy to read guide to celiac disease and strategies for living with it successfully. Dr. Green begins with the underlying biology -- and botany -- of celiac, including an explanation of various grains and why certain ones cause celiac and others don't. You'll learn about the various ways that celiac can manifest itself, as well as related conditions (including type 1 diabetes).
This isn't a celiac cookbook, in case you're looking for that. Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic is a detailed medical text, written for patients but with real substance. Readers will definitely learn a lot about celiac -- some, no doubt, more than their health care teams. Punctuated throughout are sidebars from real people with celiac, which no doubt will help you see that you're not alone. For any family with celiac, Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic is Highly Recommended.
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"My son is thirsty." So begins Cheating Destiny, Jim Hirsch's amazing book about living with type 1 diabetes, being the parent of a child with diabetes, the diabetes industry today, the cost to the US of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, islet cell transplantation, stem cell research, the maddening nature of US healthcare, and so much more. Hirsch is a captivating writer, and as the parent of a child with diabetes, I feel a special kinship to him -- he too has a child with diabetes. He has also lived most of his life with type 1 diabetes. His book is a must read for everyone whose life includes diabetes. You'll learn more than you could have imagined. And if you, like Jim and I, have a child with diabetes, be prepared for a deeply emotional experience. Highly Recommended.
Order Cheating Destiny in hardcover from Amazon.com
Order Cheating Destiny in softcover from Amazon.com
Clinical Management of the Child and Teenager with Diabetes, authored by a pediatric endocrinologist from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is an excellent overview of the clinical management of diabetes in kids and teenagers. Written for primary care physicians and other health care providers, the book is completely understandable by parents and older kids. Each chapter includes helpful case studies that illustrate specific aspects of care. The content is up to date, with information about Humalog, advice about eating sweets (it's okay, just cover with insulin), and the correct approach to blood sugar readings (they are not "good" or "bad," but rather "in target," "low," or "high). There's even a chapter on personal perspectives written by kids and their parents. Overall, Clinical Management of the Child and Teenager with Diabetes would make an excellent addition to your diabetes library, or the library of your doctor. -- JH
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William David was diagnosed with diabetes before home glucose monitoring, before insulin pumps, before NPH insulin. Yet today, 67 years after being diagnosed in 1938 at the age of seven, he has four children, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and has led a life that has helped emotionally troubled kids. In Converving Hope, David helps us to understand the challenges that all people with diabetes face, notably the deep fear of hypoglycemia, a theme that pervades the book. David writes in an easy to read style that conveys well what it is like to grow up with diabetes.
As a parent, it's often difficult to appreciate fully what it means to live with diabetes. David's book, like some others, offers us a chance to peek inside the mind of someone who has lived longer with and seen more advances in diabetes than anyone we are ever likely to meet. As a bonus, 50% fo the profits from the sale of the book will be donated to diabetes charities.
-- Jeff Hitchcock
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"You are a diabetic, and you were a pilot." With those words, Douglas Cairns' career as an RAF fighter pilot came to an abrupt end. But his love of flying never waned. Several years later, after learning that the US will grant a pilot's license to people with type 1 diabetes, Douglas headed to America to return to doing what he loved -- flying. And fly he did. Beginning in Omaha, Nebraska on September 24, 2002, Douglas, along with a safety pilot, flew around the world in 159 days. Dare to Dream is a fabulous story of this flight and the challenges associated with flying a small plane around the world. It's also a testament to one person's refusal to take no for an answer in the face of diabetes, and a reminder to all of us that being diagnosed with diabetes does not mean you have to put your dreams aside.
-- Jeff Hitchcock
Order Dare to Dream: Flying Solo With Diabetes from The Diabetes Mall
Diabesity by Fran Kaufman, M.D., is more than just a book about the epidemic of type 2 diabetes brought on by the epidemic of obesity. In the first third of the book, Dr. Kaufman introduces us to her family and its history, and she discusses people she's known with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Sadly, she covers the many complications and problems that can occur when diabetes isn't well controlled. But the focus of the book is on the combined problem of type 2 diabetes brought on by obesity, especially in children. Dr. Kaufman examines our genetic heritage that puts us all at risk, especially when combined with the way we eat (fast food and larger portion sizes) and sedentary lifestyle. Reading Diabesity is like sitting down and chatting with Fran for hours about her passion -- helping people with diabetes to live as well as possible. And I'm up for that anytime.
-- Jeff Hitchcock
Order Diabesity from Diabetes Prevention Source, run by Dr. Kaufman Order Diabesity from Amazon.com
DIABETease: A lighter look at the serious subject of diabetes by Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE. Published by Imprint Books, 2003. US$16.99 paperback, $33.98 hardcover. ISBN 1594570116.
DIABETease is a collection of diabetes-related cartoons by diabetes nurse Theresa Garnero. The 60-page book is an uplifting reminder to everyone living with diabetes that humor can be found in all aspects of life, including diabetes care. Readers of Diabetes Interview magazine will recognize Garnero's work, as it has frequently appeared there. Garnero donates half of her profits from sale of DIABETease to diabetes research organizations.
Order DIABETease in hardcover ($33.98) from Amazon.com Order DIABETease (paperback or hardcover) from BookSurge and help the author
Many people with diabetes also deal with depression. It's common and understandable. This wonderful book throws a strong and practical light on how the anger, worries and burdens of caring for diabetes day in and day out can effect you. Written in an interactive format, the book the emotional issues that contribute to poor diabetes control and provides guidance to overcoming your barriers to self-care. Worksheets help you assess your current level of motivation and establish a successful plan of action.
Diabetes Burnout addresses such issues as:
- Ten good reasons to hate blood sugar monitoring (and what to do about them)
- Worrying about long-term complications: the uses and misuses of fear
- Depression and diabetes: a tough combination
- Friends, family and health care providers - the diabetes police
- How stresses influence diabetes (and what to do about it)
- More
If you're "fed-up," try reading "Diabetes Burnout" and completing the worksheets. You will not only feel acknowledged, but you'll end up with a plan to do something truly helpful to improve how you're feeling.
Betty Brackenridge
Order Diabetes Burnout: What To Do When You Can't Take It Anymore from Amazon.com
Diabetes Care at School: Bridging the Gap is an excellent Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) program that can also be used by parents to help educate their child's school staff about delivering the best diabetes care at school. The CNE program comes with two CDs and a workbook. The first CD contains the CNE material, and the second CD contains learning activities for school staff members. Content is up to date, with sections devoted to insulin pump therapy and disaster preparedness, for example. The content of each chapter is concise, easy-to-read, and well written. School nurses seeking to learn more about caring for children with diabetes will find this program to be very helpful. Parents may wish to encourage their schools to obtain a copy. The program can be ordered online. Highly recommended.
Few experiences are as traumatic for parents of children with diabetes as their child's diagnosis. Parents of infants and toddlers face more challenges than parents with older kids with diabetes because very young children cannot verbalize their feelings. Moms and dads find themselves thinking, "Is my child just cranky, or is she having an insulin reaction?" They may struggle with finding daycare and babysitters who understand diabetes and will properly care for their child. And they find that the relationship with their spouse and their other children suffers. Jean Betschart offers guidance on all these issues in the first book specifically written about diabetes in very young children. If your child has been recently diagnosed, or you have a friend or relative with a newly diagnosed young child, this book can help.
Order Diabetes Care for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers from Amazon.com
If you've ever heard "people with diabetes can't eat sugar," then this book is for you. Kris and Betty, who together run Diabetes Management & Training Centers, debunk the myths and misunderstandings about diabetes. You'll get all the ammunition you need to deal with well-meaning friends and relatives who aren't quite up to date with their understanding of diabetes. Diabetes Myths is an excellent book that will help you get on the right track to managing your diabetes. Order directly from the DMTC.
Author Dan Hurley was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 18, and his book Diabetes Rising is more about type 1 than type 2 -- a refreshing perspective for those of us who have type 1 diabetes in our families. Diabetes Rising is broken into three parts: The Rising, The Reasons, and the Remedies. In The Rising, Hurley tracks the unprecedented increase in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in modern times (the real focus is type 1 -- not type 2). In The Reasons, he explores five hypotheses under study today, including hygeine, vitamin D, and pollution. And in The Remedies, Hurley reviews four paths to cure -- or better treat -- type 1 and type 2 diabetes, including the artificial pancreas project. Diabetes Rising is very well written and is a must-have for families living with type 1 diabetes. Highly Recommended.
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For parents of kids with type 1 diabetes, there are many excellent books to help them learn everything from the basics to making the best use of advanced insulin pump features. But Diabetes Through the Looking Glass is different. Dr. Rachel Besser not only offers excellent diabetes care advice, but she brings a very unique perspective -- she brings voice to people living with type 1 diabetes. How many of us have wished we could understand what our kids were thinking as we poked and stuck them, especially if they are very young? Well, now you can find out. Real people living with type 1, from kids to adults, provide insight into the mind of our kids, and help us, as parents, to provide better care with less worry (really). And it helps that Dr. Besser, who is a paediatrition specializing in childhood diabetes, was herself diagnosed with type 1 when she was nine years old. Highly Recommended.
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Diabetes Sourcebook is part of the Omnigraphics Health Reference series of books. Its 67 chapters contain over 600 pages of material drawn from many sources, including the NIDDK, National Diabetes Education Program, the National Kidney Foundation, the ADA, the CDA, the Joslin Diabetes Center, and Children with Diabetes (chapter 34 on Insulin Pumps is from CWD's pumps section). Since everything in Diabetes Sourcebook is available for free elsewhere (mostly online), you might ask why anyone would pay $78 for this book? The answer is that this book has everything together in one small, hardcover book, making it a great reference and educational tool. If you tried to print out everything that's in this book, you'd end up with hundreds, if not thousands, of pages and none of it would be as well organized as this book. While the price may be too high for families, the Diabetes Sourcebook would make a fine addition to any library or clinic.
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If you're the kind of person who needs a check list to help you remember everything to pack for a trip, or if you've held off on traveling because you're worried about your diabetes (or your child's), then The Diabetes Travel Guide, 2nd Edition is exactly what you need. This small (4.25 by 6.75 inches) book will guide you through preparing for travel with diabetes. You'll find all kinds of check lists and suggestions, as well as helpful tips on dealing with the unexpected -- such as sitting on an airplane waiting to take off. The book will fit easily in a carry on bag or purse and even includes a selection of phrases in other languages in case you find yourself in need of help at your destination. Recommended for anyone who travels with diabetes.
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We all know that exercise is important for good health -- whether you have diabetes or not. If you're athletic, want to be, or have a child who is active in sports, the Diabetic Athlete's Handbook is a must-have addition to your diabetes library. Dr. Colberg, professor of exercise science at Old Dominion University, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was four years old. She specializes in glucose and exercise metabolism and diabetes, and is therefore the perfect author for this topic. The initial chapters provide an introduction to the science of exercise, how diabetes medications work (insulin and oral hypoglycemics), nutrition and supplements, and general guidelines for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Then the book gets really interesting: specific guidelines for adjusting diet and medications for dozens of sports from walking to ice hockey to marathon running, broken down into individual guidelines for adjusting insulin (pumps and MDI) and additional carbohydrate intake based on starting blood sugar levels. Sprinkled throughout are vignettes about athletes with diabetes covering many sports. Highly recommended.
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Dr. Paul Chous knows what he's talking about -- not only is he an eye doctor who specializes in diabetic eye disease, but he has had type 1 diabetes since childhood and has had laser eye surgery himself to deal with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic Eye Disease is, in essence, Dr. Chous's wisdom and advice for caring for your eyes (or the eyes of your child). Given the important of preventing blindness from diabetes, we would recommend this book simply because there is little else available to guide you in caring for your eyes.
However, Diabetic Eye Disease is a superb addition to any diabetes library. Dr. Chous covers basic diabetes care, citing the scientific basis for tight control (DCCT, UKPDS). The first 61 pages are devoted to diabetes in general. Only after you have a sound footing does he begin to explore eye care and what can go wrong. There is more to diabetic eye disease than just retinopathy. Ever heard of diabetic cranial neuropathy? You'll learn about it here, as well as many other issues related to ensuring that your eyes are well cared for.
Diabetes management is in large part about information, and Diabetic Eye Disease is an excellent book that will help you learn about how important good control is to protect your vision. Diabetic Eye Disease is highly recommended for parents, adults, and older kids with diabetes.
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So you have diabetes and want to travel? Not a problem. You're in Paris, have lost all of your insulin and don't speak French? Not a problem. Want to read some fun stories and get some good advice from an experienced traveler with diabetes? Then Diabetic Travel Tales and Tips is for you. If you like to travel, then it's always fun to read about traveling, and Marilyn Garcia's book is no exception -- other than that her book is about traveling with type 1 diabetes.
Part I of the book is filled with travel stories. Part II is filled with travel tips. For the traveler with diabetes, this is a good addition to the home library.
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Telling the story of the discovery of insulin and its first use in human patients, The Discovery of Insulin is a worthy addition to anyone's library. It's especially poignant for parents of children with diabetes. The detail is extraordinary, with notes from Dr. Banting and others involved in the discovery and first use of insulin. Be prepared for a level of emotional involvement unlike any you have experienced before with a book. Note that the photographs of children taken prior to the availability of insulin may be difficult for younger kids to view.
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If you care for a child with diabetes who also has down syndrome, you'll be happy to know that The Down Syndrome Nutrition Handbook offers an entire chapter devoted to diabetes. There's more than nutrition information too -- it covers blood glucose monitoring, how to teach kids with down syndrome about diabetes, and what parents need to do at school. (An appendix contains a complete set of forms for parents to fill out.) In addition, there's a complete chapter about celiac, which is more common in kids with diabetes and in kids with down syndrome.
Order The Down Syndrome Nutrition Handbook from Amazon.com
As parents, we know that diabetes impacts the entire family -- and that family includes grandparents, aunts and uncles, and family friends. In Draw Wide the Circle of Love, Betty Brackenridge offers gentle guidance, encouragement and support for all extended caregivers, especially grandparents, to help them become part of the care team for a child with diabetes. Betty addresses head on the fears so commonly experienced by grandparents and offers excellent strategies for confronting these fears and learning to overcome them. Draw Wide the Circle of Love is an exceptional addition to your diabetes library and should be required reading for every family.
The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Juvenile Diabetes is a must read for parents of children newly or recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Writer Moira McCarthy, mother of a teen daughter with type 1, uses her years of experience to help others learn what to do in many real-world situations, like sleepovers and after school sports. She touches on almost every possible subject, using terminology that is easy to understand -- even for beginners. There's something for every parent in here. Highly Recommended.
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A Field Guide to Type 1 Diabetes is essentially a crash-course in type 1 diabetes fit into a 200-page, 4-by-9 inch paperback book. The size of the book makes it a bit tricky to read (crack the spine right away to help keep the pages open), but it's filled with good information on every aspect of type 1 diabetes. Though not specifically written for type 1 diabetes in kids, it's still a useful addition to your diabetes library. Also, if you're looking for one book to help relatives understand the management of type 1 diabetes, this is a good place to start. The material is well organized and very easy to understand, yet covers the essentials.
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The Fight to Survive: A Young Girl, Diabetes, and the Discovery of Insulin is the very personal story of Elizabeth Evans Hughes, daughter of Charles Evans Hughes, who served as Governor of New York, US Secretary of State, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Elizabeth was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1919 when she was 11 years old. The only treatment was a brutal starvation diet, which prolonged life -- and in her case, prolonged it enough for her to become one of the first people in the world to receive insulin. Author Caroline Cox takes us back to Elizabeth's life and helps us understand the inner courage of one young girl. If you're interested in learning about the history of diabetes and insulin, The Fight to Survive is for you. Recommended.
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If you're new to diabetes and are not quite ready for Dr. Chase's Understanding Diabetes, then A First Book for Understanding Diabetes is the perfect book for you. Also written by Dr. Peter Chase, along with Dr. David Maahs, A First Book for Understanding Diabetes is a synopsis of the larger book and contains everything you need to help you through the challenges of being newly diagnosed and up to speed on your own diabetes care. The 2011 edition includes material on insulin pumps, continuous glucose sensing, diabetes in schoolk, and tips for grandparents and sitters. The text is exceptionally easy to understand, the diagrams and drawings help explain things, and at $12 it's so inexpensive that everyone should have a copy. Children's Diabetes Foundation at Denver
777 Grant Street, Suite 302
Denver, CO 80203
303-863-1200
800-695-2873
303-863-1122 fax
In Food, Fun n' Fitness, Mary C. Friesz reviews how our diet and lifestyles have changed over the past few decades. She discusses the food groups we need to encourage our children to eat and promotes exercise for all. There is even information on eating disorders. This is a good book for those interested in finding their way back to the healthy food aisle.
Review by Brenda Hitchcock
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Gestational Diabetes: What to Expect (Third Edition) by the American Diabetes Association. 1997. ISBN 0-945448-90-2.Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that occurs only in pregnant women. Gestational Diabetes: What to Expect is designed to help women with gestational diabetes have a successful and healthy pregnancy. The book discusses potential health problems that can result if gestational diabetes is not treated. Also covered are guidelines for exercise during pregnancy, meal planning advice, birth control choices for after pregnancy, as well as insulin therapy and monitoring blood sugars. This 72-page book is a good introduction to gestational diabetes.
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Getting the Most Out of Diabetes Camp: A Guide for Parents and Kids. Pubished by the American Diabetes Association. 2002. Paperback, 106 pages. $14.95. ISBN 1-58040-142-2.
Diabetes camp is, for most kids with diabetes, an enormously positive experience. Camp is often the first time kids with diabetes meet other kids who have diabetes. Everything about diabetes is the norm at camp -- blood tests, glucose tablets, insulin injections, pumps, and carb counting. Kids mostly have a great time, but also learn from older, more experienced kids about living and succeeding with diabetes. Getting the Most Out of Diabetes Camp: A Guide for Parents and Kids offers parents and kids an overview of what to expect at camp. There is a brief discussion of the types of camps (weekend retreats, day camps, and resident camps) and how to decide which best meets the needs of your child. If you're anxious about the benefits of camp, this book offers enough information to help you make a decision. (CWD strongly encourages kids to attend diabetes camp.)
There are some notable omissions in this book, however. In the listing of camps, no mention is made of the extensive diabetes camps pages at this web site, the Diabetes Camping Association web site, or information about many camps that are not run by the American Diabetes Association. The only web site address provided is to a non-existent page with the ADA web site. Readers are encouraged to consult their diabetes team for recommendations of camps in their area, and even to consider camps in other states.
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Diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 11, Alicia McAuliffe strives to help parents learn how to communicate with their child with diabetes. She emphasizes that parents should let their child be a child first, then, secondly, a person with diabetes. Ms. McAuliffe points out that diabetes education is critical for both the person with diabetes and his/her parent(s). Specifically, the book explains how children feel when they're diagnosed; why diabetes is a bigger adjustment for you than for your child; how to encourage a healthy approach to diabetes; the importance of diabetes education; how to make your child's life as normal as possible; dealing with outsies forces (school, day care, relatives, etc.); and eliminating the power struggle for independence in adolescence. Recommended for all parents of kids with diabetes.
-- Brenda Hitchcock
Order Growing Up With Diabetes: What Children Want Their Parents to Know from Amazon.com
Help With The Hard Stuff is really about its subtitle: Workbooks for Teens With Type 1 Diabetes and their Parents. Unlike many of our recommended books, Help With The Hard Stuff demands involvement of the parents and the teen. The book is divided into two main sections -- the first for parents, the second for teens. Chapters typically begin with a page of true/false questions that set the stage for a discussion on a topic that is often a source of contention -- for example, glucose monitoring. After exploring strategies for success, the authors present an exercise that helps both parents and teens to make progress. Help With The Hard Stuff can help teens and their families who are struggling to understand better why diabetes care is so important and to appreciate the perspective of the other side -- a critical step toward becoming a team. Highly Recommended.
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In his book "Highs and Lows," Canadian Michael Twist describes what it is like to be a young adult diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. He provides insight into what it's like to be given a schedule of shots, tests and meals when you are living a carefree teenage schedule full of fun and activities that don't always fit in with such a regimen. Twist gives advice on travelling and ways to treat lows. This book is recommended for young adults and parents of older teens as it gives an excellent understanding of the distress at being diagnosed with diabetes.
-- Brenda Hitchcock
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Staying healthy with diabetes can be expensive, and that can present a significant challenge for anyone who is struggling to make ends meet. Leslie Dawson, who has had diabetes for 25 years, has written an excellent book filled with ways to save money while still staying healthy. Her guidance covers everything from strategies to save money on blood glucose monitoring (check a lot when you're ill and less when you're not) to sources of medical and financial aid to surving homelessness with diabetes. If you, a family member, or a friend has diabetes and are struggling with the costs of staying healthy, getting this $8.95 book could be the best investment you ever make.
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How to Write an I.E.P. by John Arena. Published by Academic Therapy Publications, 1989. ISBN 0-87879-872-2. List US$10.00 through 1997. Price increases to US$12.00 in 1998.The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), U.S. PL94-142, provides the legal basis for children with disabilities to receive the special attention they require in public schools. Many parents of children with diabetes use this law to ensure that their children are able to care for their diabetes while at school.
IDEA provides for the implementation of an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP. Parents indicate their child's needs in the IEP, and the IEP forms the basis of the action plan for the school. How to Write an I.E.P. provides parents with all of the information they will need to write an IEP for their child. The focus of this book is on children with disabilities that affect their ability to learn in a public school setting. Parents of children with diabetes who are faced with a school that is uncooperative regarding caring for diabetes at school will find the information about how to write an IEP to be helpful, since there is no national standard for writing an IEP.
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The Insulin Kid by Rose Duncan O'Donnell. Published by WritePro Publishing, 153 Stoughton Street, Stoughton, MA, 1997. No ISBN. US$7.00. Order directly from the publisher.In her introduction, Rose says that this is a book of "vignettes on my life as a diabetic, and a selection of my poems for your reading pleasure." Many, but not all, focus on her life with diabetes. I was moved by her recollections from her childhood, especially her feelings of being different from other kids as she was growing up. About half of The Insulin Kid deals with her diabetes in one way or another. The other half deals with her spirituality, specifically, of being a Christian. If religion isn't your thing, it's easy to skip over those parts and learn how diabetes helped shape the life of this one human being -- Rose O'Donnell, the insulin kid.
The Johns Hopkins Guide to Diabetes is an excellent and thorough reference guide to all aspects of diabetes, from diagnosis to daily care to complications to research. The chapter about Interacting with the Health Care System offers an excellent overview of how insurance and managed care works, while Employment and Diabetes offers advice for employment issues. With few illustrations, the book is best for adults, parents or older teens who are interested in learning as much as they can about diabetes. As the final paragraph states, "Diabetes care is not a fixed, static set of rules, but a wave that moves steadily forward. Care has advanced, is advancing, and will advance. If you ride the wave, taking advantage of what is available as you go along, you put yourself in the best possible position to be strong and healthy when diabetes is ultimately cured." The Johns Hopkins Guide to Diabetes can help you ride the wave.
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From the world-famous Joslin Diabetes Center, The Joslin Guide to Diabetes should be part of every diabetic's library. With the theme of team care and patient involvement as a backdrop, this book gives thorough coverage of diabetes, its treatment and complications, in terms that almost any adult or teenager can grasp. Chapter 14 is specifically devoted to Diabetes in Children.
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After you've met with MDs, RNs, RDs, and CDEs to learn the ABC's of diabetes care (insulin injections, glucose monitoring, treating lows), the next people you need to meet have different credentials -- MOM and DAD. Here, Leighann Calentine, MOM, offers her wisdom and guidance on parenting a child with type 1 diabetes. The chapter headings tell it best, perhaps none more so than chapter seven: Less Stress, More Happiness. That's the essence of Calentine's book -- offering thoughts and strategies to achieve the true goal of all parents: kids who are happy and healthy, even with type 1 diabetes. There are many books about the medical aspects of living with type 1. There are few about the "living a life" aspects of type 1. This is one of the best. Highly Recommended.
-- Jeff Hitchcock
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Living With Juvenile Diabetes: A Practical Guide for Parents and Caregivers by Victoria Peurrung. Published by Hatherleigh Press, 2001. ISBN 1-57826-057-4. US$14.95.
As the mother of two young children with Type 1 diabetes, Victoria Peurrung has written a book about caring for children with diabetes based on her own "practical" experience. She includes lots of healthy recipes; kitchen tips; advice on how to deal with emergencies, such as lows and sick days; a brief summary of current research; and a good list of resources for more information and help. Providing information on the basics of diabetes, Mrs. Peurrung has written a fairly all-encompassing book, although she has not included information on insulin types her children do not use, including Lente, Ultralente and the soon-to-be-available Lantus. In general, the book is a good starting point for parents of newly diagnosed children.
-- Brenda Hitchcock
You can download and read the first chapter from the book. Adobe Acrobat reader required.
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This book is an exceptionally rich text aimed at medical professionals but accessible to those with a modest background in science and a willingness to use a dictionary. Management of Diabetes Mellitus addresses all aspects of the disease, and does have several chapters specifically aimed at children with diabetes. Chapters 11 through 13 cover diabetes from childhood through adolesence and encompass 117 pages. For anyone who can read Scientific American, this book is a worthy addition to the home library.
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The Johnson family tells the story of Casey's of diabetes, beginning with her diagnosis at age eight. The book is very easy to read and contains the wisdom of the Johnson's personal experiences and those of many other parents and health care professionals. Managing Your Child's Diabetes contains excellent, real-world advice, including school issues and how to minimize the impact of diabetes on your family. Highly recommended for parents of newly diagnosed kids, since it will help put things into perspective.
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MEDLINE: A Guide to Effective Searching by Brian S. Katcher. Published by Ashbury Press, 1999. ISBN 0-9673445-0-6. $29.00.From the Publisher:
This concise and clearly written book will make your MEDLINE searches more productive. Any health professional will benefit from reading this book, which explains the basics of formulating searches, shows how to put the main indexing elements in MEDLINE to best use, illustrates the importance of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), provides guidance on framing questions, and backs everything up with practical examples. Includes a glossary of all MeSH used in the book and two appendices.
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Your child has just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. You've learned how to check blood sugar levels and inject insulin. Then you're sent home. Now what?
Parent Karen Hargrave-Nykaza will help you figure out what living with diabetes really means -- dealing with school, finding and trusting a babysitter, sleepovers, birthday parties, siblings, and taking care of yourself -- and that's just the beginning. If you're new to diabetes and are looking for help from an experienced mom, My Child Has Diabetes is a good place to start.
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For me, the most amusing part of My Life as a Pancreas was the story of Priscilla's son running around at a parent/child gathering, playing with the other kids. He stopped for some food to prevent a low but left half his cookie in her hand. She yelled out to her son, "Byron, get back here now and finish this cookie. You can't play unless you finish this cookie. You must have this sugar." As other parents sat jaws agape, a little girl came up and asked, "Would you be my mommy? My mommy won't let me have sugar."
That moment, and dozens more, are what we as parents of kids with diabetes live, everyday, as we pretend to be our children's pancreas. My Life as a Pancreas isn't a medical book, it's therapy for parents. And you'll love every page, even if some of the stories hit rather close to home. Highly Recommended.
-- Jeff Hitchcock
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Needles: A Memoir of Growing up with Diabetes is an outstanding autobiography of a young woman diagnosed with diabetes at age 9. Andie Dominick recalls her diagnosis, done by her older sister and mentor, Denise, who'd been diagnosed in 1962, and her parents. She details her rebellious teen years, when she skipped her shots to lose weight, and subsequent consequences, how she reacted to the early death of her beloved sister, and her development of retinopathy. Ms. Dominick also describes her agonizing decision about not having children in light of the potential complications childbirth could cause. This very moving story is highly recommended for everyone with diabetes and parents of children with diabetes. This book contains some graphic descriptions of the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and may not be suitable for the squeamish.
-- Brenda HitchcockParents of children with diabetes often wonder how their children view life with diabetes. As parents, we struggle with caring for our children and their diabetes, but we can never experience diabetes as they do. I was quite moved by Needles and am grateful to Andie Dominick for putting into words her experiences and feelings, for in doing so, she has opened the door of wisdom and insight for all parents of children with diabetes. Highly recommended.
-- Jeff Hitchcock
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No More Needles ... Please is a video documentary about the search for a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
Outsmarting Diabetes is all about intensive management of Type 1 diabetes. Its 247 pages are packed with clearly written, detailed explanations of why intensive management is important (it reduces the risk of complications) and how to tailor an intensive management program to your specific situation. Chapters cover multiple daily injections, insulin pumps, pregnancy, exercise, psychological concerns, and an excellent discussion of "when things go awry." Appendices discuss how to implement an Ultralente/Regular insulin regimen (though you could use Humalog instead of Regular) or pump therapy. If you have Type 1 diabetes and want a reference to help you manage your diabetes, Outsmarting Diabetes is an excellent resource.
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If you or someone you know is having a hard time figuring out how to adjust their insulin dosage, Playing the Numbers would be a great addition to a diabetes library. This small format book (4.25" x 5.5") is all about finding patterns in blood glucose values and figuring out how to make adjustments to food, exercise, and medications to improve diabetes management. Playing the Numbers is easy to read and can help if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, as it covers both insulin and oral medications. Order from the American Diabetes Association online bookstore
"The reality of diabetes care is that more than 98% of the care is provided by the patient...." That statement, in chapter one of Practical Psychology for Diabetes Clinicians, 2nd Edition, sets the tone for the entire book. While patients look to their diabetes team for guidance and counsel, where do members of your diabetes team look? Well, this book could be one place, and therefore it should be of interest to parents and adults looking for tools to help them get the best possible diabetes care. The 23 chapters cover everything from type 1 in children and adolescents to dealing with both professional and patient burnout. While aimed at health care professional, the book is very easy to read and understand and will certainly help anyone looking to improve their diabetes care. Highly recommended.
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Newly updated for the latest smart pumps, Pumping Insulin remains the definitive work for getting the most out of insulin pump therapy. The Fourth Edition will help you get the most from the latest "smart" pumps by teaching you how to use various kinds of boluses, check insulin on board to prevent over corrections, how to determine corrections and insulin sensitivity factors, and how to ensure that your basal rates are correctly set. There's even a discussion of how to use Symlin and Byetta if you pump. If you use an insulin pump and want to get the most from it, you need this book. Highly recommended for anyone considering or using an insulin pump.
Torrey Pines Press
1030 West Upas Street
San Diego, CA 92103-3821
1-800-988-4772 (US)
1-619-497-0900
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Health care professionals who are interested in learning how to oversee patients starting insulin pump therapy have a new resource: Putting Your Patients on the Pump by Karen M. Bolderman, RD, LD, CDE. This 91-page book from the ADA will "... help health care professionals with expertise in diabetes care successfully start and maintain diabetes patients on insulin pump therapy." Bolderman, who herself has diabetes and uses an insulin pump, presents and excellent and easy-to-read "how to" guide on what pump therapy is all about, from the perspective of the diabetes team. Patients who are interested in pump therapy will also benefit from this guide, as it includes much of what your health care team may have been taught about putting patients on the pump. While not as detailed as John Walsh's Pumping Insulin, Putting Your Patients on the Pump is up-to-date (includes NovoLog) and sufficient to help your diabetes team get you pumping. It is also an excellent tool for primary care providers who are interested in learning about the insulin pump. Highly recommended for anyone considering or using an insulin pump.
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Raising A Child With Diabetes by Linda Siminerio, RN, MS, CDE, and Jean Betschart, RN, MN, CDE. Published by the American Diabetes Association, 1995. ISBN 0-945448-48-1. US$14.95 (nonmember) or US$11.95 (member) plus US$3.00 Shipping & Handling to US addresses when ordered from the ADA.This 120 page book presents an overview of the many issues parents will face in raising a child with diabetes. Though it touches on a great variety of topics important to parents, such as the challenge of dealing with schools, I found it lacking in depth compared with other books in my diabetes library. I also found the many sidebars containing real life experiences to be somewhat contrived and simplistic. Parents of newly diagnosed kids might find this a useful introduction, but will quickly seek out a resource with more detail.
In addition, I was quite surprised to find mention of only the American Diabetes Association in the section entitled Resources. There was no mention of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation or the many books for parents and kids with diabetes that aren't published by the ADA. I found this to be a glaring omission.
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The Real-Life Guide to Diabetes by Hope Warshaw and Joy Pape is a simple-to-read, all encompassing guide to living with diabetes, both type 1 and type 2. Included are an excellent explanation of sugar substitutes and oral medications (for type 2), a good description of ACE inhibitors and ARBs, and thorough clarifications of both micro-and macro-vascular complications. The book is filled with colorful photos and graphics which help explain each topic. Chapters begin with a summary of "What You'll Learn," giving you an introduction to what's coming. And "Red Flag" sidebars highlight areas that may lead you astray. Highly Recommended.
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Newly diagnosed parents often have a "deer in the headlights" reaction to their child's diagnosis. The first days, weeks, and even months are an extraordinary challenge, as the family learns how to manage a child's diabetes. This book, Real Life Parenting of Kids with Diabetes, is an excellent addition to the library of any newly diagnosed family.
In Real Life Parenting of Kids with Diabetes, one mom -- Virginia Nasmyth Loy -- shares her experiences with caring for two kids with diabetes. You'll learn lots of valuable tips for dealing with kids from elementary school through high school and even into college, and no doubt see yourself as you read about what Virginia has done. That's perhaps the book's most important aspect, since parents often feel even more isolated than do their kids. (Note: Virgnia's boys, Spike and Bo, both use injection therapy successfully, rather than a pump.)
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Children and teens with diabetes often fear the pain of insulin injections, and this fear can lead to difficulties with blood glucose control. Dr. Hanas's dissertation explores the use of an indwelling catheter, called Insuflon, into which insulin is injected. Patients averages 4-5 days per catheter with a low frequency of side effects. Using catheters for up to four days does not affect insulin absorption. Parents with children and teens who are anxious about injections should discuss the use of indwelling catheters with their diabetes team, and direct them to this excellent book.
Unomedical, maker of the Insuflon infusion set, is sponsoring distribution of 100 copies of the book for free. Please contact the author at Ragnar.Hanas@bll.se for more information.
The Secrets of Living and Loving with Diabetes is about real life with diabetes. Not the "this is insulin" and "check lots of blood sugars" kind of real life though -- this is the "how to deal with the diabetes police" and "decriminalizing diabetes" real life, the stuff that's so often overlooked at clinic or in discussions with your doctor. If you're an adult (or older teen) with diabetes, and you're tired of hearing "Your blood sugar is high. What did you do wrong?", or you're a parent or spouse and you find yourself saying those words (or words like that), then this book can help you learn to deal with the emotional challenges and relationship issues that face everyone -- and every family -- living with diabetes. Parents, this is the adult equivalent of Sweet Kids and is highly recommended for adults and older teens with type 1 diabetes.
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Smart Pumping for People with Diabetes is an excellent guide to managing diabetes using an insulin pump. Edited by Howard Wolpert, MD, the book is based on educational materials used at the Joslin Diabetes Center and is published by the American Diabetes Asssocation. Filled with dozens of charts and graphs, and written in easy-to-understand language, Smart Pumping starts with the basics of pump therapy, including how to figure out basal rates and insulin sensitivity -- essential for determining bolus amounts. Several sections are devoted to nutrition and how different foods are covered using extended boluses. There's even a discussion about how to manage with a pump should you have to go to the hospital. The only shortcoming in this book is the complete absence of references to non-ADA sources of information. There's nothing about the other books about pumping, and nothing about the Insulin Pumpers web site. If you're looking for a good, easy-to-read reference for insulin pumping, Smart Pumping will fit the bill, but it cannot be the only book in your pumping library. Recommended for anyone considering or using an insulin pump.
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There's nothing quite like an authoritative author for a topic like diabetes. Amy Stockwell Mercer sums up her credentials in her introduction: "It's been 25 years since I was diagnosed, and I am now the mother to three healthy boys." Diagnosed at age 14, about six months after her younger sister, Stockwell Mercer enlists the wisdom and experiences of many other women living with diabetes to offer guidance and encouragement for women with diabetes who might feel alone or isolated or just not understood. You'll learn from women diagnosed as kids and diagnosed as adults who have found ways to live well with diabetes. The Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes isn't a medical guide to caring for diabetes. It's more of an emotional guide. One chapter heading sums it up best: Building the Confidence to Live Well. Highly Recommended for every woman with diabetes.
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The subtitle of Still in the Game is The story of sports, sugar diabetes and me, 67 years in the making. This book is essentially the story of Don Ray, born in 1934 and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1939. His story is one of overcoming the challenges that we all face living with diabetes. Don writes about his frequent "wing-dings," his term for insulin reactions. He writes about when the US Army told he and his father that he might have diabetes because is blood sugar was high (of course, they already knew he had diabetes). And he writes about his success in athletics, in spite of his doctor's admonition to stay out of sports because of his diabetes.
Through it all, Don shares his positive attitude, which has given him a wonderful life that he has generously shared with his family and friends. His story is well worth reading for everyone who lives with type 1 diabetes.
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Still In The Game
Po Box 26234
Cleveland, OH 44126
A signed copy will be sent when ordered directly from the author. You may also request an inscription.
Stop the Rollercoaster is an in-depth look at how, using flexible insulin therapy (multiple injections per day), you can gain better control of your blood sugars. It details how to determine the correct background insulin level using a long-acting insulin such as NPH or Lente, and how to determine the pre-meal regular required to cover the carbohydrates in the meal. The book is filled with a wealth of general diabetes information, including details on carbohydrate counting and the effects of exercise. There's even a chapter with detailed instructions on how to manage diabetes during pregnancy. If you're interested in managing your diabetes as well as possible, Stop the Rollercoaster can help.
Torrey Pines Press is part of Diabetes Services, Inc., which has an on-line presence at Diabetes Net.
Torrey Pines Press
1030 West Upas Street
San Diego, CA 92103-3821
1-800-988-4772 (US)
1-619-497-0900
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As a thin, graceful young ballerina and in the prime of her career, Zippora Karz was stunned when a doctor informed her she had diabetes. It was 1987 and Zippora was 21 years old, so her first doctors assumed she had type 2 and advised her on blood sugar monitoring and diet. No tests were done to check and see what type of diabetes she had. Unsure what to do and feeling ill much of the time, Zippora went to live with her grandmother who fed her a unique diet including fruits, nuts and vegetables, no processed sugars. This diet eventually led to lower blood sugars so Zippora felt better and returned to New York to dance. After struggling with high blood sugars, she found a new doctor who surmised that Zippora had type 1 and needed to take insulin. It took many months for Zippora to learn how to balance insulin, food and dancing and, like most people with type 1, had many ups and downs. Finally, six years after her diagnosis, Zippora was made a soloist, the pinnacle of her career. She continued to dance until 1999. Ms. Karz has been a ballet teacher and diabetes advocate since her retirement.
Warning: There is one reference to a sexual encounter that parents may need to explain (or not want to explain) to younger readers. Thus this book is recommended only for older teens and adults, or for those who have a special interest in dance.
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It's hard to categorize The Sun, The Rain, and The Insulin: Growing Up With Diabetes. It's a semi-biography and semi-novel about six families, written by a real physician about real experiences of families who have attended a diabetes camp in Maine. Loaded with diabetes hints, and laced with humor, the book should be required reading as a manual for everyone with diabetes and every prospective diabetes camp counselor. And it's worth the while of everybody interested in the challenges which confront families who are living with diabetes.
This book is out of print. Contact the publisher directly for a copy.
Sweet Invisible Body: Reflections on a Life With Diabetes by Lisa Roney. Henry Holt & Company, 1999. 297 pages. Hardcover. US$ 23.95. ISBN 0-8050-5625-4.
I had hoped to find some new insight into my 12-year-old daughter from reading Sweet Invisible Body, but I'm not sure that I did. Lisa Roney was diagnosed with Type 1 when she was 12. Sweet Invisible Body begins with her diagnosis in 1972, with all the challenges and fears that accompanied being told you have diabetes in the days before in-home blood glucose monitoring, insulin pumps, and Humalog. Diabetes remains unforgiving and difficult, but the times have changed dramatically. While I could relate to the frustration that she felt at the hands of doctors who prescribed text-book solutions that didn't suit her (unfortunately, that hasn't changed), I became less sympathetic as the book progressed. She details parties filled with alcohol and illegal drugs, as well as an unending stream of sexual encounters. She seems to blame her life's many challenges and difficulties entirely on her diabetes. While I have no doubt that there are others who define themselves so completely by their diabetes, I know too that there are others who transcend their physical challenges--whatever they might be--and simply get on with life.
If you must read every book about diabetes, then by all means get Sweet Invisible Body. She does convey the anxiety regarding hypoglycemia that everyone with diabetes face everyday, and the constant attention to food, exercise, and insulin injections that is required. I just found her too self-absorbed to recommend the book to everyone. Perhaps adults with diabetes will be more sympathetic than me, since I am only a parent of a child with diabetes.
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Brackenridge and Rubin provide exceptionally good and detailed advice for managing what is perhaps the most important part of your child's diabetes care: diet. How many of you parents of kids with diabetes have struggled at meal time? Probably all of you. The authors' advice is simple: adjust your child's insulin to cover their dietary intake, not the other way around. This is exactly opposite from what many parents are taught, but makes considerable sense. There's so much outstanding advice and guidance in this book that a review can hardly do it justice.
The breadth and depth of dietary information and advice in this book is second to none. You'll find help on nutrition; growth; snacks; coping with sports and eating disorders; special advice for toddlers, school-age kids and teens; and how to avoid parental burnout. This second edition includes pumps in kids and the new insulin analogs. Even if you have the first edition, this book is worth getting. And if you don't have it already, I cannot recommend Sweet Kids highly enough. Highly recommended.
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Dr. Steve Edelman developed type 1 diabetes when he was 15 years old. Taking Control of Your Diabetes embodies his philosophy of patient empowerment in the care of their diabetes. Now in its fourth edition, Taking Control of Your Diabetes is thoroughly updated for 2013, including an excellent section on continuous glucose sensors and how to get the most out of this important technology. Dr. Edelman's core message is that patients can take charge, regardless of how long they've had diabetes, and even if they have complications. This book is thorough, very well-written, and easy to read. The medical information covers everything one might need to know about taking charge, for people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Dr. Edelman covers potential complications as well as daily care, with excellent advice on today's best practices. With contributions from a veritable who's-who in the diabetes world, TCOYD is an excellent addition to the library of everyone living with diabetes -- type 1 or type 2.
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If you're a teen and have questions about whether an insulin pump is right for you or not, Teens Pumping It Up will help provide the answers. Written by Elizabeth Boland, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Project Coordinator of the Yale Adolescent Intensive Management Program at the Yale University Schools of Nursing and Medicine, this colorfully written and illustrated, spiral-bound book is filled with everything you might want to know about insulin pumps. In addition to "pump basics," Teens Pumping It Up addresses many of the concerns that are foremost in the minds of teens: the pump at school, the pool, at prom, and when dating. The many sidebars include quotes from teens who use the pump. If you're a teen considering the pump, or just want to learn more about the pump, ask your diabetes educator to get you a copy of Teens Pumping It Up or contact MiniMed at:
MiniMed
12744 San Fernando Road
Sylmar, CA 91342
(818) 362-5958
1-800-933-3322 Toll Free in the USA
(818) 364-0968 Fax
www.minimed.com Web
The Ten Keys to Helping Your Child Grow Up With Diabetes is an excellent guide for parents of children with diabetes, especially those with newly diagnosed adolescents. It is somewhat less helpful for parents of toddlers or younger kids with diabetes, who face a score of other issues not brought up in this book.
Dr. Wysocki has devised a scheme for coping with diabetes, beginning with a fundamental need for proper education of the parents. Once this basic knowledge has been provided, the child and parents inevitably cope with stress, the problem of adhering to the child's diabetic regimen, school issues and social difficulties. He offers realistic techniques for parents to help cope with these developments as they occur.
The only problem with the book is its focus on newly diagnosed adolescents (at the expense of younger children) and family involvement. While it does seem important that other family members participate in the care of the child with diabetes, this is not always feasible. Dr. Wysocki does not explain how those with younger children can deal with this. He suggests a weekly family meeting to discuss diabetes and other issues, but this simply cannot be done when the diabetic child is two and his sibling is three months old, for example. Also, not every child with diabetes will face all the problems he mentions. For example, some children diagnosed at an early age seem to be perfectly comfortable with discussing their disease and do not have the social difficulties that Dr. Wysocki describes.
Overall, Dr. Wysocki's book is an excellent resource for parents of newly diagnosed adolescents.
-- Review by Brenda Hitchcock
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One of the best manuals on day-to-day diabetes management, Think Like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner, is a must for all with type 1 diabetes. During his 25 years with diabetes, Gary has dedicated himself to determining how best to deal with the ups and downs of diabetes and is intent on sharing his knowledge with others. How to take insulin on days you plan to exercise, how specific types of exercise and certain foods affect one's blood sugar, and how to prevent hypo- and hyperglycemia, are among the subjects covered in this book. Gary has specific advice about what to do when you are having surgery, how caffeine affects blood sugars and concise descriptions on how to calculate insulin boluses. Newly updated in 2011 to include the latest on pumps, sensors, and even incretins, Think Like a Pancreas remains one of the few must-have books for everyone living with type 1 diabetes and is highly recommended.
-- Review by Jeff and Brenda Hitchcock
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This Old Cub, directed by Jeff Santo. DVD, US Region. $24.95.This Old Cub is probably not something you want to show to your child with diabetes. It's a great tribute to Ron Santo, a good baseball story (especially for Cubs fans), very upbeat for those with or facing amputation. It's not appropriate for kids, except perhaps for a minute or two when he describes having to figure out how to manage diabetes without benefit of blood sugar testing. It's not certain how much he knows even now, since at one point he's tested in the hospital, asks the result (200-something) then says "Oh yeah - because I had that butter."
-- Judith C. Renwick, RN MSN CPNP BC-ADM CPT
Order directly from the publisher. A portion of the proceeds benefit diabetes research.
In the fourth US edition of his excellent diabetes text book, Dr. Ragnar Hanas offers the most comprehensive book about type 1 diabetes, and one of the best. This book is updated to include pump therapy, continuous sensing, extensive coverage of social issues, and the latest in research. Each topic is presented in an easy-to-read style, with excellent and helpful drawings and charts. Even if you own one of the first three editions, Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults will make an excellent addition to your diabetes management library. Highly recommended.
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Type I Diabetes: Molecular, Cellular, and Clinical Immunology is a collection of papers that discuss in detail the underlying autoimmunity of Type 1 diabetes and its implications for such things as islet cell transplantation. The text is heavily scientific, and is written for the professional medical and scientific community. However, parents and adults with a good science background will find no better book to help them understand the basis for Type 1 diabetes. The full text of the book, lacking illustrations and charts, is available on-line at http://www.uchsc.edu/misc/diabetes/books/type1/type1.html.
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If you only have one book about diabetes, Understanding Diabetes should be it. There are more technical books, but none better to help you understand how to live successfully with type 1 diabetes. Representing the clinical practice methods of the The Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, the 12th Edition, published in 2011, is completely up-to-date, including the latest insulin analogs, insulin pumps, and continuous glucose sensing. Understanding Diabetes is both comprehensive and easy to read -- a great combination for anyone living with type 1 diabetes.
In summary, no other book about diabetes offers the depth and breadth of Understanding Diabetes. That's reason enough to get a copy. And at US$20, it's so inexpensive that you can't afford to be without it. You can order the book online.
The complete text of the 11th edition is online.
Children's Diabetes Foundation at Denver
777 Grant Street, Suite 302
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 863-1200
(303) 863-1122 fax
Understanding Insulin Pumps & Continuous Glucose Monitors, 2nd Edition, provides an excellent introduction to pump therapy and continuous sensors for anyone considering these tools and can serve as a reference guide for those already using pumps and sensors. The 158-page book is very easy to read and is filled with many helpful tables and charts that will guide you not only through beginning pump therapy but also as you seek to get the most from your pump. Parents will also appreciate the collection of forms in the back to help with pump therapy at school. Seven of the 20 chapters are devoted to the use of continuous glucose sensors. In addition to an excellent introduction to sensors, Dr. Chase offers strategies for using the data from your sensor to improve diabetes care. A final chapter explains the work underway to develop an artificial pancreas. Understanding Insulin Pumps & Continuous Glucose Monitors, 2nd Edition, is an excellent addition to anyone's diabetes care library. Highly recommended. Children's Diabetes Foundation at Denver
777 Grant Street, Suite 302
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 863-1200
1-800-695-2873
(303) 863-1122 fax
With over 500 pages, The Unofficial Guide to Living with Diabetes is a compreshensive guide to both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Written in an easy-to-understand manner, with helpful sidebar tidbits on almost every page, this book is a worthy addition to your diabetes library. The material is very up-to-date, with quotes from Miss America Nicole Johnson and research updates. There's even a historical overview of diabetes. Parents will appreciate the section about children with diabetes at school, which explains the differences between Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and Section 504 plans. Appendices contain important documents (such as our One Page Care Guide for teachers and nutritional information on a variety of food.
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If you want to get the most out of injection therapy, you need Using Insulin. Covering everything from determining carb and correction factors, total daily doses and injection boluses, and selecting the correct insulins to meet your needs, Using Insulin is the first book to offer for injection users the detailed scientific basis behind intensive insulin therapy that Pumping Insulin offers to pump users. The tables and charts will help you get the most out of injection therapy. Highly recommended for anyone using injection therapy.
Torrey Pines Press
1030 West Upas Street
San Diego, CA 92103-3821
1-800-988-4772 (US)
1-619-497-0900
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When a child has diabetes, a parent's life changes forever, but the book of this title by Denis Daneman, Marcia Frank and Kusiel Perlman can help make life after diagnosis somewhat less stressful. This very well-written book is very concise, thorough and easy to understand. They even give a detailed explanation of how to draw up an insulin shot, should the parents have been frazzled or nervous when this procedure was explained initially. The authors provide advice on how to deal with children of all ages, from toddlerhood to the teens. Basic information about complications and a brief discussion about the search for a cure are also included. Highly recommended.
-- Review by Brenda Hitchcock
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Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport provides good advice for adults with diabetes, parents of children with diabetes and siblings, friends, and other family members. While the focus isn't strictly children with diabetes, there are several chapters that can be helpful for parents. Dr. Rapaport uses the term "reframing" in her counseling; in other words, she encourages people to use positive terms rather than negative or critical terms when dealing with a person with diabetes. For example, rather than saying "Why haven't you done your blood test?" one should say something like, "You really should test your blood sugar now because dinner is almost ready." Dr. Rapaport also notes that people with diabetes should not get discouraged when their blood sugars are high despite following "the rules." Another subject she specifically mentions with respect to parental care of children with diabetes is "burnout." She stresses that both parents should learn how to handle all the tasks associated with managing a child's diabetes.
In general, Dr. Rapaport believes that support, both physical and emotional, is important for the overall well being of a person with diabetes. She believes it is important for a person with diabetes to live life to the fullest, and that having fun is essential.
-- Review by Brenda Hitchcock
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Many books offer guidance and support to parents who have kids with diabetes, but until now there has been nothing specifically for parents who have diabetes. When You're a Parent with Diabetes will help adults with diabetes with the challenges of being parents, and the unique challenges they face having diabetes (e.g., how do you hide your juice boxes from your kids?).
As the parent of a child with diabetes, I can't fully appreciate what it means to have diabetes, but I am thankful and grateful for Palmer's insightful book. One day, our children with diabetes will become parents with diabetes, and When You're a Parent with Diabetes can help show them the way. Highly recommended for adults with diabetes.
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Parents BookletTo help educate both newly diagnosed children and their parents, the American Diabetes Association has devised an excellent source of information, the "Wizdom Kit." There are two spiral bound booklets, one for parents and one for kids. The booklets are full of colorful illustrations and diagrams and cover everything from how to draw up a shot of mixed insulin to diabetes issues at school.
To help kids learn about diabetes, the kit includes three juggling balls (instructions for juggling included), which represent the three things someone with diabetes must juggle: diet, exercise, and insulin. Contact the ADA at 1-800-DIABETES to order a kit. Highly recommended.
-- Review by Brenda Hitchcock
Being diagnosed with diabetes requires a new way of thinking. You learn about insulin, checking blood sugars, carbs, exercise -- and the importance of planning. But you don't give up your dreams, and you don't take "No" for an answer. That's the message of Yes I Can! Yes You Can!, a book about Jay Leeuwenburg, who was diagnosed at age 12 and went on to play nine years in the NFL as an offensive lineman. Written by Denny Dressman and Jay, the book alternates between Denny putting everything into perspective and Jay sharing his personal experiences, such as:
I knew from just there mere fact of going to my normal three-month doctor visits that there were thousands upon thousands of children who were seeking answers to what I thought were just basic questions about living with and managing diabetes. And they were getting such outrageous advice that I couldn't understand. For instance, 'You can't be a cheerleader. You can't play soccer.' The message was, you can't do these things because you're a diabetic. I thought it would be an injustice not to use my career and that instant celebrity as a forum. So pretty early on I made a committment that I would send the message to youngsters that, 'You know what, you can do anything you want.'Jay's experiences and attitude can help anyone who is struggling with a new diagnosis or who is overwhelmed with caring for themselves. His experience is about persevering in the face of the challenge of diabetes and never letting it be an excuse. That's a great story for everyone. Highly Recommended.
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So few books give a sense of what it is really like to live with diabetes, especially for children. Young Voices is thirteen stories, about thirteen young people, who live with diabetes everyday. Ten have type 1, three have type 2. They are young children and young adults. They live across the world, in very different worlds. But they share a bond with each other that transcends typical friendships -- something that we see at every Children with Diabetes conference. In Young Voices you will find a beautiful book, rich with photographs, filled with stories, teaching hope and perseverance. Highly Recommended.
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For Additional Books Within Children with Diabetes
- Books Children and Teens with Type 1 Diabetes
- Books about Type 2 Diabetes
- Books about Cooking and Nutrition
- Meal Planning Aids
For Additional Diabetes Books Elsewhere on the Web
- Amazon Books (search for diabetes books)
- American Diabetes Association Bookstore
- The Diabetes Mall sells books and many other diabetes products
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Last Updated: Wednesday January 16, 2013 15:32:45
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