Q. My son’s mental health has really gone downhill since the pandemic and I am very worried about him. He has become very withdrawn and is not taking any interest in day-to-day life.

I’m sorry to hear your son is struggling, it is a worrying time for many people. It’s important to emphasise that there is help available and you should not delay seeking help for yourself and your son. Mental health is just as important as physical health and there is help available.

Every Mind Matters is a useful online resource with tips on understanding and improving your mental health: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

You don’t say how old your son is, but there are services for young people too. Parents’ Information Service gives advice to parents or carers who may be concerned about the mental health or emotional wellbeing of a child or young person. You can find out more about their services here: youngminds.org.uk or phone their advice line on: 0808 802 55 44. They are open Monday to Friday, 12pm to 10pm.

Togetherall is an online counselling service accessible to over-18s and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can find their services here: togetherall.com

The Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust Wellbeing and Mental Health Helpline is a freephone, out of hours, person-centred listening environment for people requiring emotional support in relation to their own mental health or that of someone they know. Telephone: 0800 915 4640 on Monday – Friday 7pm – 11pm and Saturday and Sunday 12pm until midnight. They also have a website: lscft.nhs.uk/Mental-Health-Helpline

If you need urgent help as you are in mental health distress, then there is always someone you can call. The Mental Health Crisis line is staffed by trained mental health professionals who are able to provide assessment and referrals to appropriate services – ring it if you need to access services or for advice about someone who needs treatment/support. Their telephone number is: 0800 953 0110. You can look at their website for help too: lscft.nhs.uk/Crisis This service is available 24 hours a day.

Q. I have diabetes and I’m worried about catching Covid-19.

If you have diabetes – regardless of what type you have – you are no more likely to catch Coronavirus than anyone else. And the majority of people who do get Coronavirus – whether they have diabetes or not – will have mild symptoms and don’t need to go into hospital.

However everyone with diabetes, including those with type 1, type 2, gestational and other types, is vulnerable to developing a severe illness if they do get Coronavirus, but the way it affects you can vary from person to person. In children, the risk of becoming seriously ill with Coronavirus is very low.

Being ill can make your blood sugar go all over the place. Your body tries to fight the illness by releasing stored glucose (sugar) into your blood stream to give you energy. But your body can’t produce enough or any insulin to cope with this, so your blood sugars rise.

Your body is working overtime to fight the illness, making it harder to manage your diabetes. This means you’re more at risk of having serious blood sugar highs and lows, potentially leading to DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) .

Reduce your risk of catching Covid-19 by following the guidance for lockdown restrictions. You need to be extra careful with following social distancing rules and washing your hands. If you have diabetes and you’re planning on inviting friends or family into your home (if guidance allows), speak to them about whether they have had Coronavirus symptoms. However mild these symptoms are, they shouldn’t be visiting. Find out more about these rules on the government website.

If you start to feel unwell, there are a few rules you can follow:

• Don’t panic – contact your diabetes team who will help you if you have any queries or if you are unsure about what to do.

• Keep taking your diabetes medications – even if you don’t feel like eating. But there are some medicines that you shouldn’t take as much of or stop taking altogether. Make sure you talk to your diabetes team as soon as you’re feeling ill so they can give you the right advice.

• If you check your blood sugar at home you’ll probably need to do it more often – at least every four hours, including during the night. If you don’t test your blood sugar levels at home, be aware of the signs of a hyper (hypergylcaemia) high blood sugars and a hypo (hypoglycaemia) low blood sugars https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/complications/hypos

• Stay hydrated – have plenty of unsweetened drinks, and eat little and often.

There is more help and advice for people living with diabetes on the Diabetes UK website: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/