Fear of Hypoglycemia in the Parents of Children and Adolescents With Diabetes: Maladaptive or Healthy Response?

Sixty-one parents of children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus completed modified versions of the Hypoglycemic Fear Survey (HFS) and the Diabetes Quality of Life (DQOL) scale. They also indicated their child's history ofhypoglycemic related seizures or loss of consciousness (SLC) events. Parental HFS scores were significantly greater if their child had ever experienced a SLC event or experienced a SLC event within the past year. Parental HFS scores were positively correlated with general parental worry about their child having diabetes. Adolescent children who experienced a SLC event during the past year reported greater HFS scores, greater general worry about diabetes, and a greater negative impact of having diabetes compared with adolescents with no such history. Despite the greater fear of hypoglycemia in prrrents and adolescents, there was no significant difference in HbA₁ values between children with or without any history of SLC events or children with or without a SLC event within the past year.