Mothers' experiences raising young children with type 1 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the day-to-day experiences of mothers raising children 4 years of age and younger with type 1 diabetes.


METHODS
The descriptive design compared mothers of children with (n = 25) and without diabetes (n = 25). Mother-child observations were completed for children with diabetes.


RESULTS
Mothers of children with diabetes are very skilled in reading their children's behavioral cues. Mothers' concerns included the fear of hypoglycemia and seizure activity, access to daycare centers, and babysitting services capable of caring for their children's condition. These responses significantly differed from the control group mothers.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses can affirm that hypoglycemia-related fears are normal and help mothers identify community resources that might ease the burden of care required, especially during the early postdiagnosis period.
Sullivan-Bolyai
Susan
S
Yale University School of Nursing, New Haven, CT, USA. susan.sullivan-bolyai@yale.edu
Deatrick
Janet
J
Gruppuso
Philip
P
Tamborlane
William
W
Grey
Margaret
M
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002657:Child Development; D002668:Child Rearing; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States