Child and Teen Diabetes Education Program

Child and Teen Program

Our Child and Teen Diabetes Education Program specializes in infants, children and teens with Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and those who are at risk of developing diabetes. Our team consists of clerical staff and volunteers, physicians specializing in diabetes and adolescent mental health, diabetes educators including nurses and dietitians and a social worker. Your child and family are the most important part of the diabetes team. The team will work together to provide care with respect, integrity, excellence and compassion. Our patients come first in everything we do.

What we do
Have you just been diagnosed?
What you should expect
Our clinic's expectations
Insulin pump program
Transition to adult diabetes care
Links, videos and useful information
Contact us

What we do

Our program includes individual teaching, counselling and support for children and teens with diabetes, their families and/or caregivers. We have over 150 families in our program, with many children using insulin pumps to manage their blood sugars. We are able to test HbA1c (90-day average blood sugar) onsite and are a certified Assistive Devices Program (ADP) centre that will help you get government funding to cover some of the cost of insulin pump supplies.

Have you just been diagnosed?

Your family is starting a journey that will include many changes both now and as your child grows to be a healthy, responsible young adult. Our team is here to assist you and your family through the many ages and stages of diabetes management. Our goal is to guide you in achieving everything that a full life, without limits, includes for you and your family.

At diagnosis, a minimum of 8 hours of education in the first 3 weeks is required for families to learn about managing diabetes. Family members, close friends or caregivers are welcome to join you at any appointment with a physician and various members of our multidisciplinary team.

Clinic days run on Mondays and Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to noon or 1 to 3 p.m.
We recommend patients attend clinics in person or virtually at least once every 3 months.
When you arrive at the clinic, please check in with the clerk at the reception desk.

Kids grow and experience different stressors, moods, and conditions that play a role in diabetes care. It is important for children and families to attend follow-up visits regularly, so our team can help identify and manage changes as they occur. At each visit, we will address topics like:

Blood glucose monitoring
How to prevent and treat hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): symptoms, risk, management
Insulin doses and blood sugars: pattern management and insulin adjustments
How to eat well as a family
Physical activity
Coping skills

Group classes are also offered on carbohydrate counting and sick day management. It is mandatory for each family to attend the sick day sessions once per year.

Topics we will cover over the first few weeks include:

How to test your blood sugar: we will provide you with a blood glucose meter, a prescription for test strips, as well as a demonstration of use and time to practice
How insulin works and how to take it: please bring your insulin to the appointment
How food affects your blood sugar: how to keep eating all the foods you love
The benefit of exercise and how to safely participate in all activities
What to do when you're sick or feeling unwell

After initial education, your clinic visits will be a minimum of once every 3 months with the diabetes team (nurse, dietitian, social worker and physician). You can expect each clinic visit to be up to 1½ hours in length from your scheduled appointment time.

You will have access to your nurse and dietitian educators Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. via appointment, telephone, email or fax
Our social worker is available on Mondays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Access to a paediatric diabetes physician on call for urgent medical situations only, outside of scheduled clinic visits

Resources will be provided, as well as contact information for the team so you feel continuously supported and connected.

Please be on time for appointments.

We understand things come up, unexpectedly. If you are unable to attend, please call to cancel with as much notice as possible. Please let us know if you require an interpreter. We will do our best to arrange one for your visits.

Please bring the following to each appointment:

Your blood sugar records
Your blood glucose meter
Food records (if requested by the dietitian)
An up-to-date list of your medications/insulin doses

Please ask questions and always let us know if you do not understand. Diabetes is a new language and lifestyle that takes time and effort to get used to. You won’t learn it all in your first visit and you’ll need practice to become confident in managing your ‘new normal’.

Insulin Pump Program

Currently, there are three insulin pump companies available in Ontario: Insulet Omni Pod, Medtronic and Tandem. You may be eligible for funding through the Ontario government's Assistive Devices Program (ADP). When your child is interested and ready, our team will complete an assessment to review the criteria. Our team members are certified pump trainers and highly skilled with the various pumps available in Ontario. We are also trained in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems. We are happy to help answer any questions you might have about insulin pump therapy, continuous glucose monitoring, as well as the funding process.

Transition to adult diabetes care

The NYGH Child and Teen program has opened a transition clinic run by endocrinologist Dr. Vikram Chandurkar. The clinic supports young people, aged 17 to 23 years Dr. Chandurkar will be working alongside the nurses and dietitians from the Child and Teen program, who you are already familiar with and are familiar with you, helping to ease the transition to adult care.

The transition program will cover topics such as:

Expected changes
Coping skills
School challenges and accommodations
Insurance
Personal matters
Driving with diabetes on board

Our staff is here to assist you in the decision making process when choosing an adult program. Please call our reception at 416-756-6923 for booking or more information.

Referrals

Access the referrals to the DEC and CCDC.

Videos

The following three videos were created with the help of the Canadian Diabetes Association and St. Michael's Hospital in partnership with various health care providers from across Canada and people living with diabetes who currently use insulin:

Insulin Questions: How do I treat my low blood sugar? (2:40 minutes)
Insulin Questions: Where do I store my insulin? (1:22 minutes)
Insulin Questions: What if I give myself the wrong amount? (1:40 minutes)

Sick day review sessions

Sick day review group sessions are held monthly at the clinic. We expect each family to attend a review group once per year. Teens above the age of 15 are encouraged to attend the sessions with their parent(s) or guardians. The following resources will be provided at sick day sessions:

Doctor on call instructions
Important: please ask switchboard for the pediatric diabetes doctor on call.

Sick day management review
Sick day brochure - updated version – to be provided by DEC.
Ketones level card
Lilly Glucagon website: glucagon is a treatment for insulin coma or insulin reaction resulting from severe low blood sugar.

Newly diagnosed:

School and system resources:

Financial support and subsidies:

Medical alert devices:

Programs to meet other people living with Type 1 diabetes:

I Challenge Diabetes: a charity that creates opportunities for people living with Type 1 diabetes, of all ages, to improve their lives and enjoy the outdoors.
Riding on Insulin: empowers, activates and connects the global diabetes community through shared experience and action sports.
UPOPOLIS: a private, online social support network for youth aged 10-18yrs. It's free, fun and interactive. To sign up or for more information, ask a staff member or email: support@upopolis.com.
Diabetes Hope Foundation: a not-for-profit organization that help families struggling with the financial and emotional challenges of children living with diabetes through core community health programs.
T1D Think Tank: brings together patient and health care opinion leaders who are experts in their knowledge of Type 1 diabetes.