There is a lot to learn about diabetes. One thing you’ll want to learn is how to speak the language of diabetes. We would like you to become fluent in the language spoken in the diabetes community. Please see the list below of common words, acronyms and abbreviations commonly used. You will be speaking (or typing) like a pro soon!
T1D – Type 1 Diabetes: A condition where the pancreas no longer produces insulin or produces to little insulin
A1C – HbA1C: A test used to determine the average blood sugar for the previous three months. This is a routine test after diagnosis. This test is also used to support the diagnoses of diabetes.
ADA – American Diabetes Association: A non profit group dedicated to the care and research of all types of diabetes. They also have a safe at school program.
BASAL: A small rate of continuous insulin supply throughout a 24 hour period. Used in combination with a bolus rate, it is the total insulin needed by a Type 1 for day to day management.
BG/BS, Blood Glucose or Blood Sugar: Usually used to describe the measured reading of the amount of glucose in the blood. Example his BG was 100
BOLUS: The amount of fast acting insulin needed, usually before meals to cover the carbohydrate intake
CARB RATIO: Or Insulin to Carb Ratio. This is the amount of insulin needed for every certain number of carbohydrates ingested. For example you may need 1 units of insulin for every 45 carbs you eat.
CARBS: Abbreviation for carbohydrates
CDE- Certified Diabetes Educator: Additional training a nurse receives to teach about diabetes care and management
CGM – Continuous Glucose Monitor: Currently used to aid in the minute by minute monitoring of blood sugars to have tighter control over glucose levels. This will tell you if your child is trending low or high so you can take action. Currently a glucose meter is the more exact determination of actual glucose levels, but they continue to become more and more accurate as technology advances
CORRECTION FACTOR: When your blood sugar is out of a specific range, you will need to take extra insulin. The correction factor is used to determine how much more insulin you need. Talk with your doctor about what correction factor your child needs at each appointment or if the current rate is no longer effective.
COVER: The amount of insulin that is sufficient to keep a good level of blood glucose for the amount of food intake.
CWDFFL – Children With Diabetes Friends For Life: Popular annual conference held in July
DAD – Diabetic Alert Dog: A dog that is trained to identify and alert when blood sugars are low or high for a specific child. Training takes a while and the cost can exceed $25,000.
DAWN PHENOMENON: A surge of hormones that will abnormally elevate glucose levels between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. (usually).
DD – Diabetic Daughter: Used in the online community to describe the persons child with Type 1.
DEX – Dexcom: Dexcom is a popular CGM brand name
DKA – Diabetic Ketoacidosis: A serious life threatening complication of diabetes. Know the signs and seek emergency treatment if you suspect DKA.
DME – Durable Medical Equipment: Non-Medicinal items used in the care of T1D such as pumps, pump supplies, test strips (blood or urine), lancets, pens, glucose meters, etc.
DS – Diabetic Son: Used in the online community to describe the persons child with Type 1
DX – Diagnosis: Abbreviation for diagnosis
ENDOCRINOLOGIST: a medical practitioner qualified to diagnose and treat disorders of the endocrine glands and hormones
FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act: A federal law that protects your child’s educational record from being disclosed without a parents permissions unless certain circumstances exist. This includes disclosing medical information that is contained in the records unless there is an emergency and the information is vital to emergency personnel. You have the right to request to see your childs education record. No educational institution can deny your parental rights to view this record.
FFL – Friends for Life: Popular annual conference held in July
FRIO: Brand name of a cooling pouch that claims to keep your insulin at a good temperature temporarily. Activated by water and reusable.
G/gm – Grams: Carbohydrate grams
GLUCOSE: A simple sugar that fuels our body with the energy we need.
HONEYMOON: A period after diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes where the body still produces a large portion of insulin but not enough. Honeymoon ends when the largest portion of insulin is from the injected synthetic insulin.
ID – Insulin Dependent: Used to describe all Type 1 Diabetics and some type 2 diabetics who must use insulin to sustain life.
IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Act: Federal law that pertains to children with special needs
IEP – Individualized Education Plan: An written educational plan tailored to meet a particular students needs.
INSULIN: A hormone your body produces to help control your blood glucose levels.
JDRF – Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: A non profit group dedicated to researching a cure and new technology until a cure is found.
MAW – Make A Wish: Make a Wish Foundation
MDI – Multiple Daily Injections: This refers to those who management their diabetes with multiple injections throughout the day via syringe or a pen throughout the day
MMP/Medical Management Plan: A plan developed by your doctor for the optimal care and management of Type 1 Diabetes. Usually this plan gives permission for the parent to change the plan as the childs needs change without additional authorization from the physician.
PBN – Project Blue November: Online group promoting awareness for Type 1 and also increased effort in November which is the designated awareness month for diabetes.
POD: An abbreviation for an insulin pump brand called Omnipod.
RX – Prescription: Prescriptions
SPIBELT: A brand name of a pouch worn around the waist that holds an insulin pump.
SWAG -Scientific Wild A$$ Guess: Used to describe when someone has to guess how many carbs are in a particular food or serving of food in order to calculate the amount of insulin needed to cover the carb intake.
UNICORN: Used in the online community in the United States. Parents will post a picture of their child with their meter that reads 100 to show that it is usually a good reading. However, 100 is not a goal necessarily. Talk to your doctor about what 100 would mean to your childs health.
504 Plan: 504 refers to a section for accommodating needs of an individual with disabilities. Type 1 is included. This gives your child the right to have certain accommodations to allow them to be safe at school. An IEP does not cover these rights, nor does a medical management plan. If you are having trouble getting a school to allow or approve an IEP, please contact your state board of education or ADA Safe at Schools for assistance.
100 CLUB: Used in the online community in the United States. Parents will post a picture of their child with their meter that reads 100 to show that it is usually a good reading. However, 100 is not a goal necessarily. Talk to your doctor about what 100 would mean to your childs health.