Diabetes: understanding your health and getting the right support

What diabetes means

Diabetes makes the level of glucose, or sugar, in the blood too high. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body use glucose. In type 1 diabetes the body does not make enough insulin and insulin treatment is needed. Type 2 involves problems with how insulin works or how much is produced. There are other types, including diabetes during pregnancy. A clinician needs to identify the type and suitable care.

Recognise possible symptoms

Being unusually thirsty, weeing more, feeling very tired or losing weight without trying can be signs of diabetes. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or NHS 111 advice if you or a child has these symptoms. Some people have few obvious symptoms. Supporters should describe changes from the person’s usual health and communication. Do not put new tiredness or continence changes down to learning disability without assessment.

Make diabetes care accessible

Ask the GP or diabetes team to explain the diagnosis with pictures, demonstrations or your usual communication aid. Request enough time and someone you choose to support you. Discuss what you can do independently and where help is needed. Support should build understanding and choice; a diagnosis does not give supporters unlimited control over food or everyday life. Ask about adapted diabetes education.

Agree an individual treatment and support plan

The clinical team should explain medicines, glucose monitoring if needed, targets, equipment and who will do each task. Ask for practical teaching and a way to check understanding. Record how supplies, prescriptions and reviews will be arranged. Only change doses using the instructions you have agreed with the team. Supporters need appropriate training for any clinical tasks; a general website cannot prescribe a diabetes routine.

Low blood sugar needs prompt action

Insulin and some other diabetes medicines can make blood sugar too low, called a hypo. Signs may include shaking, sweating, hunger, dizziness or confusion. Check glucose if possible and follow the person’s hypo plan promptly. When someone is awake and can swallow safely, treatment usually involves a fast-acting source of sugar followed by rechecking. Ask the team to teach the exact steps, including arrangements for swallowing difficulties. Never give food or drink to an unconscious person.

Know when help is an emergency

Call 999 if someone is unconscious, has a seizure or is not responding normally with suspected severe low blood sugar. Follow their emergency plan, including prescribed rescue medicine only if trained. If high blood sugar is suspected with vomiting, tummy pain, fast breathing, drowsiness, confusion or fruity-smelling breath, call 999 or go to A&E. These may signal a life-threatening emergency. Do not wait for a routine appointment or a complete set of symptoms.

Have instructions for illness and high readings

Illness can change blood sugar and treatment needs. Ask your team for written “sick day” instructions, including when to test for ketones, medicine advice and urgent contacts. Ketones can build up dangerously when insulin is lacking; this is called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA. Do not stop insulin because someone is not eating. Contact the diabetes team or NHS 111 promptly if high glucose is not responding to the agreed treatment, or you are unsure what to do.

Arrange checks that fit your diabetes

Ask when blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, kidneys, feet and other relevant checks are due. The tests and frequency depend on age, diabetes type and individual needs. Keep an accessible list with who will arrange each check. Diabetes reviews are separate from an eligible annual learning disability health check. Tell the team about new foot problems or other changes rather than waiting for a routine review.

Eyes, food and everyday wellbeing

Ask about diabetic eye screening when eligible. It looks for diabetes-related eye damage and does not replace an ordinary sight test. Ask for a food and activity plan that fits your culture, preferences, communication and any swallowing or eating difficulties. Seek individual dietetic advice where needed. Do not withhold meals, impose punishment or copy another person’s diet. Discuss worries about diabetes and ask for emotional support too.

Keep support working in different places

Agree the necessary arrangements for school, college, work, outings, respite and hospital. Include medicine timing, equipment, food access, emergency supplies and trained help. Share relevant information with appropriate permission and keep the plan current. Review support when health, routines or staff change. Explain any diabetes technology to new supporters and agree what to do if equipment stops working.

Prepare questions and find accessible information

Diabetes UK offers Easy Read information on living with diabetes and why check-ups matter, alongside other accessible formats. The original blank page below can help you discuss support and record who will answer questions. It is not a prescription, glucose chart or emergency treatment plan. Keep the clinical team’s current instructions available and ask them to correct anything you do not understand.

Getting help with diabetes

Understanding diabetes

Make your care plan

Low and high blood sugar

Illness and everyday care

What you can do next

More useful links