A Developmentally Staged Curriculum for Teaching Self-Care to the Child with Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus

A developmentally staged curriculum has been designed to teach children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus about their disorder and its care within an organized program of ongoing ambulatory medical care. A preliminary evaluation of the teaching program based on this curriculum indicates that self-care skills are mastered but that the implementation of self-monitoring aspects decreases during adolescence. A survey of a sampling of participants indicates that interest in the program also declines with adolescence. However, the majority had positive responses at all ages and all children and adolescents had positive responses to the experience of being with diabetic peers. The curriculum is presented to help organize the appropriate teaching of diabetes care to children and adolescents.