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Type 1 Parenting

A1C (HbA1c)
A blood test that shows the average blood sugar level over the past 2–3 months.

Basal Insulin
Slow, background insulin that works all day and night to keep blood sugar stable between meals and during sleep.

Basal Rate
The continuous delivery of small amounts of insulin by an insulin pump to replace long‑acting insulin.

Beta Cells
Special cells in the pancreas that make insulin. In Type 1 diabetes, these cells are destroyed by the immune system.

Blood Glucose (BG)
The amount of glucose in the blood at a given time, measured with a meter or sensor.

Blood Glucose Meter (BGM)
A handheld device that measures blood sugar using a finger‑prick drop of blood.

Bolus Insulin
Fast‑acting insulin taken for meals or to correct high blood sugar.

Carbohydrates (Carbs)
Foods that raise blood sugar, such as bread, fruit, milk, rice, pasta, and sweets.

Carb Counting
Tracking the amount of carbohydrates eaten to calculate how much insulin is needed.

Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)
A wearable device that measures glucose levels every few minutes using a small sensor under the skin.

Correction Factor (Insulin Sensitivity Factor)
How much one unit of insulin lowers blood sugar.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
A serious, life‑threatening condition caused by not having enough insulin, leading to high blood sugar and high ketones.

Diabetes Care & Education Specialist (DCES)
A healthcare professional who teaches families how to manage diabetes safely day‑to‑day.

Endocrinologist
A doctor who specializes in hormone‑related conditions, including diabetes.

Glucagon
A rescue medication used to treat severe low blood sugar when a person cannot eat or drink. It is a hormone that triggers the liver to break down glycogen and release glucose into the bloodstream.

Glucose (Blood Sugar)
A type of sugar in the blood that comes from food and provides energy to the body.

Glycemic Index (GI)
A measure of how quickly (easily) a food or meal is digested and converted into blood glucose. A high GI food or meal will quickly raise blood glucose, a low GI one will be absorbed much slower. Usually GI is measured across a whole meal rather than for an individual food.

Glycogen
A polysaccharide (stored carbohydrate) made of 30-60,000 glucose units, stored primarily in liver and muscle cells.

Honeymoon Phase
A period after diagnosis when the body still makes a small amount of insulin, temporarily reducing insulin needs.

Hyperglycemia (High Blood Sugar)
Blood sugar that is too high. Symptoms may include thirst, frequent urination, tiredness, or headaches.

Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar)
Blood sugar that is too low. Symptoms may include shakiness, sweating, confusion, irritability, or sleepiness.

Insulin
A hormone that allows sugar (glucose) to move from the blood into the body’s cells for energy.

Insulin Pump
A device that delivers insulin continuously through a small tube or patch instead of injections.

Insulin-on-board (IOB)
The amount of insulin still active in the body from prior injections (see “Stacking”)

Insulin‑to‑Carbohydrate Ratio (ICR)
How much insulin is needed for a certain amount of carbohydrate (for example, 1 unit of insulin for 10 grams of carbs).

Interstitial fluid (ISF)
The fluid surrounding your bodys cells. CGM’s measure the sugar levels in this fluid, not blood sugar, which is why CGM results can be delayed from actual blood sugar levels by between 5 (stable) to 25 (rapidly changing) mins.

Ketones
Chemicals made when the body burns fat instead of glucose for energy. High levels can be dangerous.

Ketone Testing
Checking urine or blood for ketones, especially during illness or very high blood sugar.

Lancet
The needle used to prick your finger to draw blood for a blood glucose meter test.

Lipohypertrophy
Soft, rubbery or fatty lumps under the skin caused by repeated insulin injections / pump at the same site. Causes unpredictable insulin absorption (highs/lows). Rotate injection sites constantly to prevent.

Macrovascular disease (diabetic)
Damage to the heart or blood vessels due to persistent high blood sugar

Nephropathy (diabetic)
Kidney disease caused by persistent high blood sugar

Neuropathy (diabetic)
Nerve damage caused by persistent high blood sugar

Retinopathy (diabetic)
Eye disease caused by persistent high blood sugar

Saccharides
See Carbohydrates.

Sensor
The small piece of a CGM that sits under the skin and measures glucose.

Site (Injection or Pump Site)
The area of the body where insulin or sensors are placed.

Stacking
Taking another dose of insulin (typically rapid-acting insulin) before the prior dose has finished working. Danger of hypoglycemia.

Target Range
The recommended blood sugar range for most of the day.

Test strips
The small “cards” you put a drop of blood on and insert into the blood glucose meter. Often sold in packs of 50.

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
An autoimmune condition in which the body stops making insulin. People with T1D need insulin every day to live.