Adherence: Keeping kids on treatment

When you are a kid, the last thing you want to think about is your treatment for diabetes. Investigators are conducting ongoing research to create new methods for adhering to treatment plans for long-term health. Newly diagnosed patients are tracked over time to see what leads to successful or unsuccessful management of diabetes. The entire diabetes team works with families to evaluate factors such as:

• Individual.
• Psychological.
• Family.

Behavioral investigators look at how disordered eating behaviors, which involve insufficient or excessive food intake, impact the treatment plans for children with diabetes. These behaviors have a negative impact on a child's physical and emotional health, often impacting adherence and readiness to adapt to changes in diet and lifestyle.

The D.A.D.S. Project - Dads and Adolescents with Diabetes Study - looks at the relationships of fathers and adolescents and their impact on compliance.