Diabetes Patient and Family Education
We want you to have all the information you and your child need to understand your child’s condition and to participate in treatment. This page provides links to resources that we hope will be helpful.
Visit the Endocrinology Patient and Family Education page for resources related to general endocrine conditions.
Resources at Seattle Children’s
- What to expect at your Endocrinology and Diabetes appointment
- How to prepare for your visit
- Transportation and lodging
- Hospital services
- Paying for care
- Social Work
- Emotional and psychological support for families with diabetes
Diabetes: Top Patient Requests
- When to Call Your Diabetes Team (PDF) (Spanish) (Somali) (Ukrainian) (Vietnamese)
- Your Insulin Pump (PDF) (Spanish)
- Sick Days/Ketone Management (PDF) (Amharic) (Arabic) (Russian) (Simplified Chinese) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian) (Vietnamese)
Living With Diabetes Family Education
-
Family education handbook overview
-
Handbook part 1
- Living With Diabetes Family Education Part 1 (class slides) (PDF) (Spanish) Carbohydrate counting, blood glucose monitoring, insulin, injections, hypoglycemia and supplies checklist
Part 1 handouts
- Disposal of Sharps (PDF) (Amharic) (Dari) (Portuguese) (Russian) (Simplified Chinese) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian) (Vietnamese)
- Insulin Injection Sites (PDF) (Simplified Chinese) (Spanish)
- How Do I Inject With an Insulin Syringe? (PDF) (Simplified Chinese) (Spanish)
- Medical Alert ID (PDF) (Arabic) (Farsi) (Spanish) (Somali) (Vietnamese)
- Hyperglycemia (High Blood Glucose) Illustrated Symptoms (Spanish) (Novo Nordisk)
- Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Glucose) Illustrated Symptoms (Spanish) (Novo Nordisk)
-
Handbook part 2
- Living With Diabetes Family Education Part 2 (class slides) (PDF) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian) Advanced carbohydrate counting skills, insulin dose calculations and 3-hour “rule,” sick days/ketone management and physical activity guidelines
Part 2 handouts
- Insulin Dose Calculating Worksheet (PDF) (Spanish)
- Basal-Bolus Insulin: Long-Acting and Rapid-Acting Insulin Therapy– (Arabic) (Simplified Chinese) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian)
- Sick Days/Ketone Management (PDF) (Amharic) (Arabic) (Russian) (Simplified Chinese) (Somali) (Spanish) (Vietnamese)
- Exercise Checklist for Diabetes (PDF) (Simplified Chinese) (Spanish)
- Diabetes Care Quick Guide (PDF) (Simplified Chinese) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian) (Vietnamese)
- Blood Glucose Log (PDF) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian)
- Why the Diabetes Team Visit? (PDF) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian)
- About A1c (PDF) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian) (Vietnamese)
- Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) (PDF) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian)
Nutrition handouts
- 15 Gram Carbohydrate Food List (PDF) (Arabic) (Simplified Chinese) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukraine) (Vietnamese)
- Reading Food Labels (PDF) (Simplified Chinese) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian) (Vietnamese)
- Going Home: Blood Glucose Food and Insulin Log (PDF) (Spanish) (Somali) (Vietnamese)
- Going Home: Food Plan (PDF) (Arabic) (Spanish) (Somali) (Vietnamese)
- Snack Ideas for Kids With Diabetes (PDF) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian)
Social work
Research
- Diabetes Research slides (PDF)
- Recruitment flyer– Join a study (PDF)
Back cover sleeve
- When to Call Your Diabetes Team (PDF) (Spanish) (Somali) (Ukrainian) (Vietnamese)
Diabetes Condition Resources
- Diabetes Care Quick Guide (PDF) (Simplified Chinese) (Spanish) (Somali) (Ukrainian) (Vietnamese)
- Seattle Children's Diabetes Newsletter
- Diabetes Travel Checklist (PDF)
- Help Paying for Diabetes Care and Supplies (PDF) (Spanish)
- Medical Alert ID (PDF) (Arabic) (Farsi) (Somali) (Spanish) (Vietnamese)
- Menstrual Cycle Tracker (PDF) (Spanish)
- Sick Days/Ketone Management (PDF) (Amharic) (Arabic) (Russian) (Simplified Chinese) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian) (Vietnamese)
- Surgery for the Child With Diabetes: Before- and After-Surgery Care Steps (PDF) (Spanish)
- Why the Diabetes Team Visit? (PDF) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian)
- American Diabetes Association
- Type 2 Diabetes (Kids Health)
- Type 2 Diabetes: Be Healthy Today; Be Healthy for Life Handbook (American Diabetes Association)
Eating and Physical Activity for Living With Diabetes
- Exercise and Activity Guidelines for Children and Teens With Diabetes (PDF) (Spanish)
- Exercise Checklist for Diabetes (PDF) (Spanish)
- Food Planning Using the Hospital Menu (PDF) (Spanish)
- Going Home: Blood Glucose Food and Insulin Log (PDF) (Somali) (Spanish) (Vietnamese)
- Going Home: Food Plan (PDF) (Arabic) (Somali) (Spanish) (Vietnamese)
- My Activity and Eating Plan for Diabetes (PDF) (Spanish)
- School Overnight Camps: Making Carb and Insulin Adjustments for Students With Diabetes (PDF)
Emotional and Psychological Support for Families With Diabetes
Along with medical concerns, diabetes often brings behavioral health challenges to children with diabetes and their families. See how our behavioral health team supports your family. We also host support groups and classes and connect you to community resources listed here.
-
Support groups and workshops
-
Handouts to help adjust to and live with diabetes
These handouts address common concerns and challenges that arise for youth with diabetes and their families. We include suggestions for preschoolers up to young adults and their parents and caregivers.
- Diabetes Books and Resources (PDF) (Spanish)
- Diabetes Books and Websites for Teens and Young Adults (PDF)
- Living With Diabetes – Support From Social Workers (PDF)
- Sharing Diabetes Across Two Households (PDF)
- Helping Your Teen Manage Their Diabetes: A Guide for Parents (PDF)
- Helping Your Child Get Used to Their Insulin Pump and Continuous Glucose Monitor (PDF) (Spanish)
- Tips for Wearing Your Insulin Pump and Continuous Glucose Monitor (PDF) (Spanish)
-
Camps
-
Websites for virtual support
- Beyond Type 1
- Beyond Type 2 (Spanish)
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Northwest chapter (some resources are in Spanish)
- Engage with JDRF Community from Anywhere! (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation virtual support events, some in Spanish)
- Children with Diabetes
- Stories from people all over the world living with type 1 diabetes (Children With Diabetes)
- College Diabetes Network
-
Support at school
- Safe at School Hub (American Diabetes Association)
- JDRF School Advisory Toolkit (PDF) (Spanish) (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)
-
Support in sports
Tests and Treatments for Diabetes
-
Blood glucose and glucose monitoring
- About A1c (PDF) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian) (Vietnamese)
- Blood Glucose Log (sample) (PDF) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian)
- Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) (PDF) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian)
- Helping Your Child Get Used to Their Insulin Pump and Continuous Glucose Monitor (PDF) (Spanish)
- Glucose Tolerance Test (PDF)
- Using a Glucagon Emergency Kit With a Conscious Child (PDF)
-
Insulin injections and pumps
- Insulin Dose Calculations Worksheet (PDF) (Spanish)
- Insulin Injection Sites (PDF) (Simplified Chinese) (Spanish)
- Insulin Pump Therapy (PDF) (Spanish)
- Getting Started on Your Insulin Pump (PDF) (Spanish)
- Steps to Getting Your Insulin Pump (PDF) (Spanish)
- Tips for Wearing Your Insulin Pump and Continuous Glucose Monitor (PDF) (Spanish)
- Basal-Bolus Insulin: Long-Acting and Rapid-Acting Insulin Therapy (PDF) (Simplified Chinese) (Arabic) (Somali) (Spanish) (Ukrainian)
- How to Prevent Ketoacidosis While on a Pump (PDF) (Spanish)
- How Do I Inject With An Insulin Syringe? (PDF) (Simplified Chinese) (Spanish)
- Administering Insulin (Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta) (Video 5:57) (this video may have small differences from what we teach at Seattle Children's; in those cases, follow our instructions)
Diabetes Resources for Adolescents and Young Adults
- Adolescent and Young Adult Diabetes Program(Spanish) (PDF)
- Diabetes Books and Websites for Teens and Young Adults (PDF)
- Preparing Students With Diabetes for Life at College (American Diabetes Association)
- Adolescent and Young Adult Diabetes Transition Clinic (University of Washington)
- College Diabetes Network
Insulin Resistance
- Breakfast Options Planner (PDF)
- SMART Goals for Keeping Healthy (PDF)
- Sugar Content of Cereal (PDF) (Spanish)
- Ten Guidelines to Help Manage Your Weight (PDF) (Spanish)
- What Can I Drink? Beverage Choices for Diabetes (PDF) (Spanish)
- Weight Loss (Bariatric) Surgery (PDF)
- Breakfast Basics (Kids Health)
- Champions for Change Recipes (California Department of Health)
- Nutrition and Healthy Eating Whole Grains (Mayo Clinic)
Contact Us
For more information, contact the Endocrinology and Diabetes Program at 206-987-2640. If you would like an appointment, ask your child’s primary care provider to refer you.
Providers, see how to refer a patient.