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Hi from Mum of newbie T1 teenager

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MumT1

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Relationship to Diabetes
Parent of person with diabetes
Hello! My son of 13 was diagnosed quite suddenly 3 wks ago, type 1. He uses Novorapid and Levemir. The first 2 weeks he had pretty stable readings, then bam, lots of hypo's and we have most likely entered the honeymoon period. Carb/insulin ratios now amended. Today we collected the Libre2 and it will be such peace of mind especially when he's at school. A big learning curve but it's good to have joined here and read of others in similar situations and all that goes with it.
 
Hi and welcome. The only thing that stays the same with kids with diabetes is that their levels need changing You’ll soon start to identify when he’s had a growth spurt or other things are changing and you’ll adapt his insulin to suit. Don’t forget variation in glucose levels is normal even for non diabetics so you’re aiming for being in target a reasonable amount of the time but his long term numbers will still be ok if he has periods of being higher than target so don’t worry too much if he has periods of being a bit high. Hypos are also normal but yeah in the first few months can be a sign of the honeymoon as the pancreas reacts to the help from the insulin.

My daughter’s a bit younger (almost 11) and has been type 1 for 2 years. It is a big adjustment but the management these days is so good and the options for things like a Libre help loads. Keep in contact with your team and once you’ve got over the shock of diagnosis don’t be slow in asking for support if you need a chat with the team psychologist.
 
Welcome to the forum @MumT1 . Sorry to hear about your son’s diagnosis.
As others have said this will be a change to a ‘new normal’ for you all, but it is a manageable condition. Good to hear that you already have the Libre, which really helps to head off extremes of highs and lows.

With the return to school, it would be worth talking to your son and your team for their advice about how best to manage this. Whilst in school I had a stash of hypo treatments in a variety of places so if I got caught out away from my room I still had hypo stuff nearby. I kept a spare insulin pen in the fridge in the medical room in school in case I forgot to take mine in. Initially I injected in an office but soon just did it where I was eating lunch and no one noticed. It will be important for your son to decide how he wants to manage this. For PE lessons it will be important to have his hypo stuff nearby whatever he is doing.

The book by Ragnar Hanas that @trophywench mentioned is very useful. Clear and regularly updated with the latest tech available, so worth looking for the latest edition.

It will all seem a lot to sort out to start with but he will then settle down and just be his new way of life. As others have said take care of yourself too, and use the support that is available from your team. Also if you have any questions, tap into the knowledge on here.
 
Welcome to the forum @MumT1

Glad you have joined the forum. Ask away with any questions you have - it can feel overwhelming and scary at the start, but you will soon get into the swing of things 🙂

I’ll tag in some of our other frequent parent posters - @Bronco Billy @Sally71 @stephknits - who may have experiences to offer
 
Hi @MumT1. Sorry to hear about your son’s diagnosis. You seem to be very on top of it already, which is great.

It certainly seems that your son is still in the honeymoon phase. To put a positive spin on it, it’s a great learning experience for the weeks/months/years to come.

To help you prepare for school, you may find this post helpful from the Diabetes in School board.

Take care and ask anything you need to 🙂
 
Hi there,
I'm Odette, I work for Diabetes UK but also have type 1 myself. We are putting on a virtual event on Thursday, 18 March which I think you might find really helpful! The details are:

Whether type 1 diabetes has been part of your child’s life for a few weeks or a few years, we know it can be tricky to tell when to take a step back and let your child take the lead. From carb counting by themselves, to going to their first sleepover, to moving out – there’s always something to think about.

Join us for our ‘For Parents and Carers: Supporting your child with type 1 to become more independent’ Virtual Q&A Session on Thursday, 18 March. You’ll meet four fabulous volunteers who all live with type 1 and have been through every step of the type 1 journey. You can ask them any questions you like, no matter how big or small.

Book your free place here: https://eu.eventscloud.com/esurvey/200042039

Please note: This session is aimed at parents and carers of children and young people with type 1, aged 0-17.

If you have any other questions, let me know!
Odette
 
Hello and welcome to the forum @MumT1 🙂
 
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