Diabetes-related habits established during the first few years after diagnosis are difficult to change. Therefore, the initial period after a child has been diagnosed with diabetes holds a unique potential for early interventions to adjust adverse patterns of diabetes self-management before they become firmly established. Family functioning is strongly related to glycemic levels, and attending to parents’ needs at the time of diagnosis could therefore reduce psychological distress and improve glycemic levels in their children. This study aims to investigate parental adaptation to and coping with their child’s diabetes diagnosis during the first month post-diagnosis. Twenty interviews with parents of children (0–18 years) with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes were conducted and analyzed using systematic text condensation. Four themes were identified: (1) Removal of the safety net, when families experience that they are now on their own; (2) Hit by the realities, when parents realize the impact of living with diabetes; (3) Hang in there, when families mobilize resources to get them through a tough period; and (4) Toward a new normal, when parents begin to reestablish their life with diabetes in mind. This study generated unique insights into early parental adaptation and coping after their child was diagnosed with diabetes.

During the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) were worried, stressed, and experienced changes in their self-management practices. Studies found that many had difficulties managing their disease, while others showed improvements. Since the first lockdown, the virus and subsequent lockdowns have become a more regular part of everyday life. The present study investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic, one year after its outbreak, has affected self-management in people with T1D. The dataset consisted of seven semi-structured interviews with adults with T1D, which were interpreted using Antonovsky’s theory of Sense of Coherence (SOC). We found that the pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns had contributed to better self-management in people with T1D, as they had developed a strong SOC. Knowledge from healthcare professionals and their own experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic had caused them to experience stronger comprehensibility, which had been crucial to experiencing strong manageability, enabling them to make active choices to maintain good glycemic control. Furthermore, better opportunities and more motivation had allowed them to experience stronger meaningfulness regarding immersing themselves in their treatment. Our findings show that, during health crises, having a strong SOC is important for disease management among people with T1D.