Children and young people with suspected diabetes should be seen by a specialist immediately

[Northerner]

When a GP suspects a child or young person has diabetes, they should immediately be sent to hospital and seen the same day by a specialist, a new NICE quality standard says.

Diabetes is a long-term condition that has a serious impact on people who live with it, so prompt diagnosis is vital.

If left untreated diabetes can cause tissue damage, resulting in blindness, kidney failure, foot ulcers which can lead to amputation, and also premature heart disease, stroke and death.

Around 26, 400 children and young people have type 1 diabetes and 500 have type 2 diabetes. The NICE quality standard states that children and young people with suspected diabetes should be referred to immediately and seen the same day by a multidisciplinary paediatric diabetes team.

https://www.nice.org.uk/news/articl...ialist-immediately-says-nice-quality-standard

 

[Sally71]

This is exactly what our DSN said just after my daughter was diagnosed - then we wouldn't have wasted time faffing about waiting for fasting tests (correct to diagnose T2 apparently, but not T1 in a child of course) and then having daughter on the point of collapse from DKA by the time we arrived at the hospital. Far too many people have this sort of experience - most GPs know frighteningly little about T1 as they rarely see it, so they base all their diabetes knowledge on T2

 

[trophywench]

I have no idea when this changed - when I was diagnosed by my GP who I'd gone to see after work he said You need to go into hospital, but it's OK, you needn't go tonight! - tomorrow morning at 9.30. But I was 22 not a child. It seems to me that the medical profession generally knows less about the treatment of diabetics now than they ALL did 40 yers ago. The few who specialise in it are great but the rest know sweet Fanny Adams.

 

[grovesy]

It appears that way!

 

[stacey_w]

I rang the GPs surgery before Riley was diagnosed asking to bring him in for a diabetes test and was told I would have to make an appointment to see the GP before we could be booked in for a test! Thank heavens for the urgent care centre who took it a bit more seriously!

 

[HOBIE]

There are lots of people who don't know the difference between T1 & T2 inc professionals. Some advice from some practice nurses is bad 😱

 

[Nict]

Hi. My son who is 4yrs is being tested on Wednesday. ......but ...he is booked for the hba1c test?? I've been looking but it looks like he should be having a fasting glucose instead? Can anyone offer me any advice? Thanks.

 

[HOBIE]

This has been on another post. Yesterday. Hope you got your test done ok.