Young Children with Type 1 Diabetes: Recent Advances in Behavioral Research

Abstract

Purpose of Review: This review provides a recent update of behavioral research pertinent to young children with T1D and addresses current priorities and future directions. Recent Findings: Rates of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in young children (ages 1–7) are continuing to rise. Since 2014, changes to diabetes care and management have impacted young children and reinforced the need for increased attention and interventions to support diabetes management, especially in caregivers who are primarily responsible for their young child’s diabetes management. Summary: T1D is associated with unique physiologic challenges in young children, with constant management demands elevating parental diabetes-related stress and fear of hypoglycemia. Diabetes technology use has significantly increased in young children, contributing to improvements in glycemic levels and parent and child psychosocial functioning. Yet despite the positive outcomes demonstrated in select clinical behavioral interventions, research with this young child age group remains limited in scope and quantity.