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Posttraumatic stress symptoms in children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes

Şahika G Şişmanlar1, Emine Demirbaş-Çakir, Işık Karakaya

  • 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli, Turkey. sismanlar71@yahoo.com

Italian Journal of Pediatrics
|April 28, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are common in children with type 1 diabetes, with over half experiencing moderate levels or higher. Frequent hypoglycaemic attacks were identified as a significant predictor of PTSS in these young patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Child Psychology
  • Diabetes Management

Background:

  • Chronic diseases in children are linked to high rates of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS).
  • Research on PTSS in pediatric diabetes is limited, highlighting a gap in understanding.
  • This study addresses the incidence and predictors of PTSS in children with type 1 diabetes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence rate of PTSS in children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
  • To identify potential predictors of PTSS in this pediatric population.
  • To investigate the impact of hypoglycaemia on PTSS in children with diabetes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the Child Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index to assess PTSS in 54 children (ages 8-18) with type 1 diabetes.
  • Hypoglycaemia was considered the primary potential traumatic event.
  • Multiple regression analysis was performed on data from 42 children with complete information to identify predictive factors.

Main Results:

  • A significant percentage of children (18.5%) reported severe or very severe PTSS.
  • Over half (51.9%) experienced moderate PTSS or higher.
  • The number of hypoglycaemic attacks in the preceding month was the only significant predictor of PTSS.

Conclusions:

  • Posttraumatic stress symptoms are prevalent in pediatric patients with diabetes.
  • Even non-severe hypoglycaemic events can be perceived as traumatic by children with diabetes.
  • Findings suggest a need for careful interpretation due to study limitations, but underscore the psychological impact of diabetes management.
Abstract

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