By Jacquelyn Verme, APRN, Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse Practitioner, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Diabetes Treatment Center
If your child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), they are not alone. According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 300,000 children and adolescents in the United States are impacted by the condition.
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells responsible for producing insulin. Insulin is essential for moving sugar from the bloodstream into the body’s cells, where it is used as energy. In short, children with type 1 diabetes need to regularly monitor their blood sugar levels and take insulin to maintain their health and well-being.
Helping Children with T1D
Parents of children with T1D know all too well that the condition can present several challenges. Fortunately, advances in modern medicine enable children with T1D to lead full and thriving lives. However, the condition does come with responsibilities and daily management tasks that set it apart from the experiences of many other children and parents.
Families facing a T1D diagnosis should have a close relationship with their health care network to receive not only the proper treatment regimen, but also the education and support that they need to understand and cope with the lifestyle changes of the condition.
Luckily, the Pediatric Diabetes Treatment Center at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital treats every family with diabetes with these core tenets in mind. The department offers comprehensive care from a wide variety of health care professionals to ensure that your child has the proper treatment and clearly understands the importance of their insulin treatments and keeping their blood glucose levels under control.
Educational and Networking Events
In addition to education, networking is critical for families coping with diabetes to feel supported and part of a community with other families facing similar challenges. This month, in commemoration of November’s Diabetes Awareness Month, the hospital hosted a Diabetes Education Carnival on November 16 that drew more than 200 attendees and featured fun activities, along with a chance for parents to learn more about diabetes, ask questions, and network with other parents of kids and teens with T1D.
The Diabetes Treatment Center also partnered with Food for Salud to host a cooking demonstration in the hospital’s Advanced Pediatric Care Pavilion lobby on November 14, which was open to everyone at the hospital and featured a recipe for sweet potato cakes. Please visit our Food for Salud blog for additional recipes and health tips.
Another event hosted at the hospital during November’s Diabetes Awareness Month was a “Diabetes Walk” through the hospital units on November 14. Led by Nelly Santos, R.N., the Diabetes Taskforce and Children & Family Experiences teams visited inpatient units to raise awareness and educate staff on the management of diabetes in the inpatient setting. This event featured poster boards, along with games and prizes, designed to educate staff on various pumps, continuous glucose management (CGM) devices and provide information about how the Children & Family Experiences team provides support to children with diabetes and their families while they are hospitalized.
Nicklaus Children’s also hosts many other educational and networking events throughout the year. Be sure to check with the Center for Diabetes at your next checkup for information about any upcoming opportunities.
Collaboration with Breakthrough T1D
The diabetes specialists at Nicklaus Children’s are dedicated not only to delivering comprehensive care to their patients but also to advancing treatments and technologies for improved outcomes. A prime example is pediatric endocrinologist and medical director of the Diabetes Center Adriana Carrillo Iregui, M.D., who has been a long-standing board member of the South Florida Chapter of Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) and was recently appointed vice president of the board of directors.
Several members of the diabetes care team at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, including Dr. Adriana Carrillo and Dr. Andrea Granados, participated in an educational panel at the Breakthrough T1D Miami Diabetes Summit, while Patricia Riojas and I read the mission moment at this event. Breakthrough T1D focuses on research, advocacy, and support for individuals with type 1 diabetes and their families, while also funding groundbreaking research toward finding a cure.
Nicklaus Children’s invites members of the community to show their support for children and families affected by T1D by joining the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital team for Breakthrough T1D’s Miami Walk on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
Cutting Edge Research and Treatments
Nicklaus Children’s also participates in TrialNet’s T1D Screening, which is offered at no cost to relatives of people with T1D to identify the disease at its earliest stages. If T1D is detected, the care team can partner with your family to change the course of the disease.
The Diabetes Center is also at the forefront of delivering the latest drug therapies for patients who meet treatment criteria. Tzield (teplizumab-mzwv) is a relatively new medication available at Nicklaus Children’s that can delay the progression of stage 1 to stage 3 Type 1 Diabetes for up to 2 years. Tzield is the first disease-modifying therapy available for T1D.
The Place for Diabetes Care & Support
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Diabetes Center is more than just a treatment center for diabetes patients. Its dedicated team provides comprehensive and compassionate care, offering education and fostering a sense of community for patients and their families — all while actively supporting research efforts towards a cure. While a T1D diagnosis can be daunting, you can have confidence that you’re in excellent hands at the Nicklaus Children’s Diabetes Center, which offers appointments in convenient locations throughout South Florida from southern Miami-Dade to Martin counties.