Typ 1-diabetes är en kronisk sjukdom som kräver kontinuerlig egenvård och ställer omfattande krav på barn och ungdomar i vardagen. Egenvården innefattar medicinska, praktiska och psykosociala moment som påverkar livskvalitet, välbefinnande och upplevelsen av kontroll. Tidigare forskning visar att egenvård inte enbart är en medicinsk process utan även formas av emotionella och sociala faktorer. Syftet var att belysa barn och ungdomars upplevelser av egenvård vid typ 1-diabetes. En systematisk litteraturöversikt med kvalitativ ansats genomfördes. Datainsamlingen skedde genom strukturerade sökningar i databaserna Cinahl, PsycInfo och Scopus. Materialet analyserades med induktiv kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet presenteras i tre huvudteman: att leva i en kropp som inte går att kontrollera, när man känner sig annorlunda bland andra samt att bli självständig men aldrig fri. Egenvården upplevs som komplex. Injektioner och behandling i vardagen beskrivs som praktiskt och emotionellt utmanande. Barn och ungdomar upplever rädsla, skam och en känsla av att avvika. Oförutsägbara blodsockernivåer bidrar till upplevelser av bristande kontroll. Stöd från familj, skola och vård är betydelsefullt men kan upplevas som både stödjande och begränsande. Detta belyser behovet av ett barncentrerat förhållningssätt som beaktar medicinska, emotionella och sociala dimensioner.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition that requires continuous self-management and places extensive demands on children and adolescents in everyday life. Self-management involves medical, practical, and psychosocial components that affect quality of life, well-being, and the sense of control. Previous research indicates that self-management is not solely a medical process but is also shaped by emotional and social factors, which underscores the need to highlight children’s and adolescents’ own experiences. The aim was to explore children’s and adolescents’ experiences of self-management in type 1 diabetes. A systematic literature review with a qualitative approach was conducted. Data were collected through structured searches in the databases CINAHL, PsycInfo, and Scopus. Articles were included based on criteria such as studies involving children and adolescents aged 10–18 years with type 1 diabetes and their experiences of self-management, published between 2021 and 2026. The material was analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis. The results are presented in three main themes: living in a body that cannot be controlled, feeling different among others, and becoming independent but never free. Self-management is experienced as complex. Injections and daily treatment are described as practically and emotionally challenging. Children and adolescents experience fear, shame, and a sense of deviation. Unpredictable blood glucose levels contribute to experiences of lack of control. Support from family, school, and healthcare is important but can be experienced as both supportive and restrictive. Self-management develops over time and is characterized by increasing independence, while the need for support remains. Self-management in type 1 diabetes can thus be understood as a complex process that affects multiple aspects of life. This highlights the need for a child-centered approach that considers medical, emotional, and social dimensions.