Educating on the symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes

[Trudi1978]

Hi all.
In May 2020 my 8 year old son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. When this happened I knew very little about Type 1 Diabetes and I was not aware of the symptoms to look out for. We were very luck and he was diagnosed before he became very ill.
I have now done lots of research and I am very aware that if not detected quickly can cause people to become life threateningly ill.
I am at present in college and I am doing a research project on "How can education around Diabetes Type 1 and the symptoms be improved?"
So far I am very disappointed as there seems to be very little education on what symptoms to look out for. I personally feel that education should be given to parents, children and teachers. I feel this should be given through the Education System, the NHS, GP's, Health Visitors and through all forms of the media.
We are all aware as a nation of the symptoms to look out for with Meningitis and I personally feel that the symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes are just as important to know.
I would be so grateful for any feedback I can get around this subject.

Best wishes

Trudi1978.

 

[Inka]

Diabetes U.K. ran a campaign but I’ve not seen any of the posters recently:

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/get_involved/campaigning/4-ts-campaign

I agree we need more awareness. I’d like postcard sized things given to new parents or left in libraries, surgeries, etc

 

[Trudi1978]

Diabetes U.K. ran a campaign but I’ve not seen any of the posters recently:

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/get_involved/campaigning/4-ts-campaign

I agree we need more awareness. I’d like postcard sized things given to new parents or left in libraries, surgeries, etc

Yes that is exactly what I was thinking, I hadnt thought about libraries but what a good idea, leisure centres too.

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @Trudi1978

There are @5 posters with the 4Ts on as well as bigger ones. There are school packs available for both staff and for parents. There are also DUK has volunteer speakers who go into schools to raise awareness.

I enjoy doing this and have worked with with staff on a training day, as well as working with the students. My background is in teaching older students, but now happily go into primary schools too. There is likely to be a similar offer near you, or if you have time what about becoming a speaker yourself.

Through my local office I have broadened the groups I have worked with to guides/scouts, WI, carers, care home staff, ... There are plenty of opportunities (although at present this is all on hold). However the training has still been going on. Contact your local office if you are interested.

 

[Trudi1978]

Welcome to the forum @Trudi1978

There are @5 posters with the 4Ts on as well as bigger ones. There are school packs available for both staff and for parents. There are also DUK has volunteer speakers who go into schools to raise awareness.

I enjoy doing this and have worked with with staff on a training day, as well as working with the students. My background is in teaching older students, but now happily go into primary schools too. There is likely to be a similar offer near you, or if you have time what about becoming a speaker yourself.

Through my local office I have broadened the groups I have worked with to guides/scouts, WI, carers, care home staff, ... There are plenty of opportunities (although at present this is all on hold). However the training has still been going on. Contact your local office if you are interested.

Thank you so much I will do that.

 

[stillgoing]

I understand how you felt. Fortunately you managed to get a diagnoses. I was not so fortunate. I ended up at 5 years old getting it. My parents had noticed I was drinking a lot but on talking to our GP he thought it was just dehydration as I was recovering from measles and german measles, one after the other so thought that my parents idea of going on holiday would do me good. I got worse so they called a locum doctor on holiday who wanted to report my mother for neglect as I was so thin. My father didn't react well to this and got a taxi from Portsmouth to Bath. On the way they stopped at the Rainbow End pub to phone ahead for the family GP to be waiting at the house. When we got home the GP was waiting took one look at me said diabetic picked me up and ran to the hospital. (I was unconscious so only saying what I have heard) about a mile. He decided it was quicker than waiting for an ambulance. My parents were told if I survived that night I would probably get to being a teenager! My parents didn't see me to the next day and my father got the short straw of visiting to find out what had happened. Now I know this was nearly 60 years ago but doctors are not improving.

Only a few years ago I was talking to my father in law. He was talking about a man at work how had strange symptoms had been to many specialists but could not be diagnosed. I said that the symptons sounded like classic type 1 but presumed that this had been ruled out. I found out later that my father in law had spoked to his friend who mentioned it to his GP and everything was now sorted!

So in summary I think the GP's need more education. If every life threating disease is talked about to parents I think they will become confused or scared.

Some time ago I kept driving by a poster that listed the main complications of diabetes. I kept reading the top half when the traffic lights were red but never got to the bottom of it. It worried me intently so I managed to read from the bottom rather than the top. That s when I found out is was about diabetes and asking for research money. What a relief. It was something I knew about!

 

[grovesy]

I understand how you felt. Fortunately you managed to get a diagnoses. I was not so fortunate. I ended up at 5 years old getting it. My parents had noticed I was drinking a lot but on talking to our GP he thought it was just dehydration as I was recovering from measles and german measles, one after the other so thought that my parents idea of going on holiday would do me good. I got worse so they called a locum doctor on holiday who wanted to report my mother for neglect as I was so thin. My father didn't react well to this and got a taxi from Portsmouth to Bath. On the way they stopped at the Rainbow End pub to phone ahead for the family GP to be waiting at the house. When we got home the GP was waiting took one look at me said diabetic picked me up and ran to the hospital. (I was unconscious so only saying what I have heard) about a mile. He decided it was quicker than waiting for an ambulance. My parents were told if I survived that night I would probably get to being a teenager! My parents didn't see me to the next day and my father got the short straw of visiting to find out what had happened. Now I know this was nearly 60 years ago but doctors are not improving.

Only a few years ago I was talking to my father in law. He was talking about a man at work how had strange symptoms had been to many specialists but could not be diagnosed. I said that the symptons sounded like classic type 1 but presumed that this had been ruled out. I found out later that my father in law had spoked to his friend who mentioned it to his GP and everything was now sorted!

So in summary I think the GP's need more education. If every life threating disease is talked about to parents I think they will become confused or scared.

Some time ago I kept driving by a poster that listed the main complications of diabetes. I kept reading the top half when the traffic lights were red but never got to the bottom of it. It worried me intently so I managed to read from the bottom rather than the top. That s when I found out is was about diabetes and asking for research money. What a relief. It was something I knew about!

Well many GPs are of the opinion Type 1 only occurs in children.

 

[helli]

Well many GPs are of the opinion Type 1 only occurs in children.

Thankfully, the second GP I saw knew it can occur in adults.
Sadly, the first doctor, who was newly qualified, diagnosed the constant peeing to be a symptom of a UTI and delayed my diagnosis by 2 weeks.

 

[stillgoing]

As I say. Lets get the GP's educated in this common condition and all its variants or at least to a level were they know they need to refer!

 

[trophywench]

A GP (a hospital anaesthetist with his other hat on) diagnosed me and arranged my admittance to hospital whilst I waited outside the nurses room after I'd delivered some pee to her in a plastic cup as directed. Do you think you could do a wee? Definitely cos any minute now it'll be on the floor here, Mrs .....

 

[DaveB]

As I say. Lets get the GP's educated in this common condition and all its variants or at least to a level were they know they need to refer!

NICE has some fairly good updated guidance for T1 diagnosis but sadly many GPs don't keep up but complain when we use Dr Google

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

There was a push to get something about the 4Ts put in the ‘going home from hospital’ packs that new parents get a while back, but I’m not sure what happened to that.

Meningitis charities have done amazing work raising awareness of what to look out for in childhood - and T1 affects many more children and adolescents every year (not to mention adults of all ages!)