Initial Education for Families with Children Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes: Consensus from Experts in a Delphi Study

ABSTRACT A child’s diagnosis of type 1 diabetes can create major challenges for the family, and early education about the disease is crucial. The aim of this study was to identify and reach expert consensus about the priority of topics for the two initial weeks of education of families with a child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Specialist nurses (n = 15) working with children and adolescents with diabetes at Swedish pediatric clinics participated in a Delphi study. We sent these experts three rounds of a web survey and analyzed their answers using qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistics. The results show the experts’ consensus on the most important educational topics for families of a child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The highest priority topics were actions for hypo-/hyperglycemia, blood-glucose monitoring, symptoms of hypo-/hyperglycemia and adjustment of insulin. The experts’ top-ranked educational topics were in line with the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes guidelines for educating children with type 1 diabetes and also considered important by children and their families. The topics identified here can help nurses educate children with type 1 diabetes, contribute to further research into type 1 diabetes education, and inform the development of national guidelines.