Diabetes

Our individual and group classes help you gain a sense of control over your body and the disease with information and tips on topics such as:

• Foot care
• Exercise goals
• Eye care
• Glucose monitoring
• Medication and insulin pump management
• Meal planning

Diabetes education for children

Our Diabetes Education Program at TriStar Centennial Children’s Hospital equips kids with diabetes self-care management skills. This helps improve their quality of life, reduce emergency room visits and connect with additional resources for ongoing support.

Our program works in collaboration with TriStar Medical Group Children’s Specialists. It is also accredited by The American Association of Diabetes Educators for excellence in care.

In addition to diabetes education and support, medication can be an effective way to improve your diabetes symptoms. Medication, such as insulin, can be used to lower blood sugar levels when lifestyle changes alone aren't enough. Our diabetes specialists work with you to make sure you have the right dosage and understand how to administer insulin.

Diabetes can cause poor circulation, which often results in wounds that are slow to heal. These wounds, such as diabetic ulcers, can be painful and lead to serious infection if not treated properly. We offer advanced wound care to make sure your wounds heal without complications. Some treatments we offer include infection control, skin grafting and negative pressure wound therapy.

Through TriStar Centennial's Center for Weight Management, a fully accredited bariatric surgery center, we offer a comprehensive program to evaluate and care for your diabetic children and adolescents.

The program's multidisciplinary care team includes:

• Bariatric surgeons
• Exercise physiologists
• Genetics experts
• Pediatric cardiologists
• Pediatric endocrinologists
• Pediatric orthopedic specialists
• Psychologists
• Registered dietitians
• Registered nurses

Diabetes occurs when the body doesn't produce or properly use insulin (a hormone that balances your blood sugar levels). This can lead to a buildup of sugar in the blood, causing complications such as heart disease, stroke, vision problems and kidney disease.

Types of diabetes include:

What is Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, is a chronic disease that prohibits the pancreas from producing insulin. Type 1 diabetes can’t be prevented and currently has no cure.

What is Type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes, is the most common form of the disease. People with this condition make insulin, but their cells are unable to properly use it, leading to insulin resistance. The pancreas tries to overcompensate for this and produces more insulin to get glucose into the cells. Eventually the pancreas cannot keep production up, leading to high blood sugar levels.