“What are the treatments for type 1 diabetes?”

Insulin injections

Education, education, education about insulin treatment options (multiple injections, basal-bolus insulin option, insulin pumps) monitoring of blood glucose levels with blood glucose meters, continuous glucose monitoring, and integrated pumps and CGM to create hybrid closed loop insulin delivery automatically coupled with carbohydrate counting and nutritional education, exercise counseling, optimizing weight and monitoring for complications of the blood pressure, kidneys, eyes, nervous system and cardiovascular system (cholesterol checks) as well as checking for other autoimmune problems like thyroid disease, adrenal disease and celiac disease. Using motivational interviewing and educational approaches maximizes education efforts for the patient with diabetes (PWD) as well as family member and care providers (school nurses, coaches, teachers, scout leaders) etc. Periodic re-education is also needed with education materials such as Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus by Ragnar Hanas, American Diabetes Association, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and many others around the world. Optimizing glucose levels while minimizing hypoglycemia is also a key educational goal. Assistance and support from other parents and other PWD the same age is also very helpful and available on-line as well as in local groups as are weekend as well as summer diabetes camp programs. Stuart Brink, MD Senior Endocrinologist, New England Diabetes & Endocrinology Center (NEDEC) c/o NEDEC, 196 Pleasant Street, Newton Centre MA 02459-1815, USA phone 1-781-572-4533, e-mail: stuartbrink@gmail.com