38: More on the Nitty-Gritty of Drug Use for Our T1D Kids (Part 3)

Sweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes

Another listener wrote in with a question about drug use for their T1D kid so I asked Dr. Justin Altschuler, a T1D and addiction doc, back onto the show to provide answers. In this episode, we tackle issues that come up around experimenting with “harder” drugs, like cocaine, hallucinogens, and opiates. Dr. Justin leans into his experience as a substance doctor to explain what he knows about how these substances can affect T1D.

A few takeaways:

• While Dr. Justin discusses the various substance classes and their inherent risks to blood sugar and overall brain function, the main message is that drug use is trickier with T1D. How a specific drug will impact a diabetic teen will be individual.
• Consider the overall mental health of kids with T1D and the context of their drug use.
• There’s a difference between drug use and drug abuse. While both are risky with T1D, parents and caregivers need to understand that T1D puts teens at higher risk for mental health issues, which also possibly is a link to a higher potential risk of substance abuse.
• The teenage years are a high-risk period overall and finding coping strategies for mental health challenges can pay off in the long run.

For more on creating a balance with eating for your T1D kids, check out Sweet Talk’s free Sweet Talk Snack Course.

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Need help getting your kid the right snacks?

That's why I've created the Sweet Talk Snack Course. It's a free mini-course to give you 6 snack sized lessons on making sure you're giving your kid the right foods to keep them nourished and their blood sugar in check. Get it at https://diabetessweettalk.com