Diagnosis Explanation: Diabetes
Providing age appropriate explanations to a child is an integral part of the work of a child life specialist and crucial to healthy coping for the patient. Following is one way of explaining type 1 diabetes that could be used for older children. In addtion to the words used, any visuals and props, like a toy school bus and kid figures, can help further deepen the understanding for the child and allow the child to play out the situation. "Every time you eat something, sugar
X-ray play
Expressive arts activities are a great way for a child to process a medical experience from a safe distance and can provide the adult the opportunity to talk about what that experience was like for that child and clear up any misconceptions that the child may have. Allowing for the manipulation of medical materials provides opportunity for the normalization of the materials and the act of gluing, coloring, cutting, etc., can give the child a sense of control and mastery over
