The Challenge of Childhood Diabetes: Family Strategies for Raising a Healthy Child [Paperback]

Laura Plunkett (Author), Linda Weltner (Contributor)

Book Description

This inspiring account of the impact of diabetes on a multigenerational family includes successful strategies for dealing with the emotional, nutritional, and practical issues of caretaking.

When seven-year-old Danny was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, his mother, Laura Plunkett, a psychotherapist with a private practice in Marblehead, MA, desperately searched for ways to cope with his life-threatening disease. Struggling to manage her anxiety over wildly fluctuating blood sugar numbers, to transform her reluctant family’s diet, and to educate friends and teachers, she eventually finds unique ways to help Danny attain excellent blood sugar control and a new and comfortable sense of normal.

To help others weather such shocking new circumstances, Laura and her extended family share their three-year journey from crisis to confidence with humor and warmth. An intimate look at issues of nutrition, exercise, sibling rivalry, medical care, and holistic medicine, The Challenge of Childhood Diabetes is the friend, coach, and consultant that the family of every newly-diagnosed child will turn to on a daily basis. Written with her mother, Linda Weltner, former “Ever So Humble” columnist for The Boston Globe, the book includes a Survival Guide for those seeking support and a new emotional perspective.

The Challenge of Childhood Diabetes is insightful and compassionate, filling the void between doctors’ visits with the comforting voice of a loving and experienced caretaker. It’s an invaluable resource for extended family, friends, teachers, neighbors, and medical professionals.

Visit www.challengeofdiabetes.com for more information.

“This book is a gem. It will most assuredly help patients, their family members and their friends as they meet the many challenges ahead, including the compelling emotional issues largely ignored in the doctor’s office.”
—Will Cross, the first person with Type 1 diabetes to reach the summits of the seven highest continental mountain peaks, including Mt. Everest.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Our book offers parents the opportunity to learn in three hours what we learned in three years. I wrote it with my co-author because we didn't want mothers and fathers to feel alone. My favorite letters are ones in which the parents say "After reading your book, I finally realize I'm not crazy." or "After reading your book, I can finally relax and sleep soundly." In addition, this book has helped many parents improve their child's blood sugar control.

About the Author

Laura Plunkett has a BA in psychology from Brown University and a therapeutic private practice in Marblehead, MA.
Linda Weltner, the award-winning “Ever So Humble” Boston Globe columnist, is Laura’s mother and a popular public speaker on family life.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (July 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595386253
• ISBN-13: 978-0595386253
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #655,003 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Personal Health > Children's Health > Special Needs Children

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for everyone newly diagnosed..., October 29, 2006

By 

E. Pyle (MA ,United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Challenge of Childhood Diabetes: Family Strategies for Raising a Healthy Child (Paperback)

This book, I think, is intended for families with children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and their friends. Having a child with Type 1, I have been through many of the ups and downs described in the book. The most valuable part of the book is Plunkett's demonstrating, through her family's story, how unpredictiable, inscrutable, and frustrating managing type 1 diabetes can be. Understanding that you don't just get your doses right and then sail through with even blood glucose is something it took me over a year to realize. This book could make you feel that you're not alone in this aspect of diabetes management. However, much of this book could be alarming to parents trying to manage a newly diagnosed child. For example, she describes at length her efforts to extend the honeymoon period of her son's disease. This part might sow seeds of doubt-- should readers also seek out an acupunturist, do reflexology? Most diabetes health care professionals would probably say no -- there has been no clear medical evidence that such terapies help-- but this book pretty clearly advocates for alternative medicine. Moreover, she conveys a sense that less insulin = good and more insulin = bad. Here's a typical quote: "The day before his first acupuncture treatment, Danny had had three shots and a total of fifteen units of insulin. A week after the treatment, he was on one shot of 6 units!" This is an unhealthy way to view the disease. Finally, most of this book concerns managing a child using multiple daily insulin injections, an approach that fewer families adopt now, as more and more children are using insulin pumps. Management changes considerably with insulin pumps, making many of the lessons learned/ challenges described in this book less valuable to someone looking to glean tips for managing thier own or thier child's condition. In the final chapter, Plunkett even admits that : "Our transition to the pump in the third year of Danny's illness transformed the rhythms of our family in so many ways that its hard to explain why we waited so long." The third part of the book consists of a "Survival Guide for parents", which contains lists very similar to what most health care providers or advocacy group give out for free -- e.g., supplies needed, tips for "self care", and meal suggestions. This might be useful for families who do not have a good medical team, but most of the content will likely already have been given to anyone newly diagnosed.

BOTTOM LINE:
Plunkett's portrays the whirlwind of managing type1 diabetes with honesty and warmth, however, her focus on extending the honeymoon period, using alternative medicine, and reducing the amount of insulin doses could cause even more anxiety in those new to diabetes and its management.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Health is Important, November 5, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Challenge of Childhood Diabetes: Family Strategies for Raising a Healthy Child (Paperback)

I am a twelve year old girl with diabetes, after my mother read the book and said that she loved it I read it and it made me realize that eating healthy is extreamly important and getting excersize after meals will help me control my diabetes. The hospital told me to eat whatever i want, just as long as i take the corespoding amount of insulin. Even though they said that was the best way to do it my blood sugars were out of control. After reading this book me and my family have changed our diet so we eat fairly low carb and take walks after dinner together. I feel better since we changed our ways and i cannot recommend this book more. On top of it being educational, it is also a great story.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource!, November 5, 2006

By 

C. Potts (MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Challenge of Childhood Diabetes: Family Strategies for Raising a Healthy Child (Paperback)

The book does a great job of offering alternatives and while some may not be right for cetain folks, the open and honest approach to finding a personal path was great and well worth exploring. It stimulates thought and ideas and gives options to consider that aren't usually discussed in as much detail from a parent's perspective. While I don't pretend to know all of the most detailed clincal thinking on the subject, its common sense approach to eating healthier--not just for children with diabetes, but for all children--seems right on target given the epedemic in childhood obesity. I think the other reviewer's comments focusing heavily on the honeymoon period and insulin strategy miss the point--I didn't think that was the core point. And I also don't agree that the book is alarming--rather, it's reassuring because it opens so many doors for support not commonly known or understood. It's a fast read with much to digest! For parents looking to gather more information with a broader perspective on the disease, this is a great choice!