The challenge of transferring responsibility for diabetes management from parent to child

To emancipate from their parents, children and adolescents with diabetes eventually must assume responsibility for self-care, and parents and health care professionals face the challenge of deciding when and how to transfer this responsibility from parent to child.

Abstract

To emancipate from their parents, children and adolescents with diabetes eventually must assume responsibility for self-care. The challenge that parents and health care professionals face is deciding when and how to transfer this responsibility from parent to child. Inappropriate transfer of self-care responsibility can precipitate poor metabolic control and strain parent-child relationships. By planning the gradual transfer of this responsibility based on children's cognitive abilities, maturity level, demonstrated self-care skills, and family environment factors, health care providers can minimize these problems.