T1D Books for Young Learners: Why Parent-Led Education Is Essential

Welcome to T1D Family. I’m Dr. Jessica Turcat, and this channel exists to help parents prepare, connect, and truly thrive after a Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis enters their household. My work focuses specifically on parenting children with T1D, because this diagnosis does not just affect one child—it reshapes the emotional, educational, and relational landscape of the entire family.

I am a wife and a mother of five, including two toddlers, and one of my children lives with Type 1 Diabetes. I am walking this road alongside you, not observing it from a distance. Along with being a parent, I am also a lifelong learner, educator, and avid homeschooler. When our diagnosis came, it brought with it a renewed responsibility: not only to manage blood sugars, but to educate our children about their bodies, their condition, and their capacity to care for themselves over time.

One of the most important truths I have learned is this: if we want our children to understand their bodies, we must first be willing to understand them ourselves. Education is not optional in T1D—it is protective. When you listen to adults who have lived with Type 1 Diabetes for decades, many will say they wish they had been taught more when they were young. They wish they had understood the long-term consequences, the role of insulin, the impact of sugar, and how daily choices compound over time. That knowledge matters, and it can be introduced gently, lovingly, and even joyfully—starting very early.

In this video, I walk you through a curated collection of children’s books that help explain Type 1 Diabetes, insulin, blood sugar, and the endocrine system in age-appropriate, emotionally supportive ways. This video goes beyond Rufus and the standard diagnosis materials, although I explain why those initial books and the teddy bear matter so much and how they are meant to support emotional processing and identity formation in young children.

We talk about books designed for toddlers, preschoolers, grade-school children, and even advanced learners who want deeper scientific understanding. I share what resonated with my own children at different developmental stages, what helped them emotionally, and what helped them cognitively. You’ll hear honest reflections on which books worked best for which ages, how children without T1D benefit from this education as well, and why representation, storytelling, and interactive elements are so powerful.

We discuss:

Why teaching your child about T1D does not burden them, but actually reduces fear and confusion

How storytelling and metaphor help children emotionally process diagnosis

The importance of children seeing themselves reflected in books and illustrations

Resources written by individuals and parents living with Type 1 Diabetes

How to layer scientific understanding as children mature

Why endocrine education is often missing—and how parents can fill that gap

This video is for parents of newly diagnosed children, parents further along the journey, homeschool families, and any caregiver who wants to empower their child with knowledge, confidence, and emotional resilience. Education is not about forcing responsibility too early; it is about giving children language, understanding, and a sense of agency within a reality they are already living.

I also share how these resources support siblings, foster empathy, and open meaningful family conversations. Learning together has become part of our rhythm, and I truly believe that seeds planted in childhood matter deeply as our children move into adolescence and adulthood.

I am currently developing free, interactive worksheets and learning resources for children with Type 1 Diabetes, based on what I am using with my own family. You can visit jessicaturcat.com for updates and future downloads as those resources become available.

If you are an author or creator with T1D educational materials and would like a review, feel free to reach out. This community grows stronger when we share knowledge, lived experience, and practical tools.

Thank you for being here, for caring deeply about your child, and for showing up for this journey with intention. Much love, and I’ll see you next time on T1D Family.