June on the Blacktop
A Parent Guide to Understanding What Happens When the Body Interrupts
By Tara Alison
Seeing what your child experiences from the inside — and what it means
A note for families navigating other conditions
This guide is written through the lens of type 1 diabetes, because that is June's story. But the heart of it — helping a child notice a body signal, pause, ask for what they need, and return to their day — belongs to any family raising a child whose health asks something of them in the middle of ordinary moments. If your child manages allergies, asthma, a chronic condition, or any health need that interrupts their day, the language and prompts here are meant for you, too.
Why this story matters
Children with type 1 diabetes experience something most people around them cannot see.
They can be running, laughing, fully engaged — and then suddenly, everything shifts. Their body interrupts.
In those moments, what looks like slowing down, withdrawing, or shutting down is not a choice. It is a signal.
This story helps children feel: "This happens to me" and "I'm not the only one."
And it helps adults understand: "This isn't behavior. This is physiology."