Hi there ! - thoughts on caring for carers?

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joegatt87

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Hi,

I'm registering here because my god-daughter (age 3) has Type1 Diabetes and I want to support her mum (sole-carer, stressed!) as well as understand the condition/treatments so I can make life easier for both mum and child . So I am interested in finding out whether any of you can advise me of the ways I can assist?

I'm going to get training to act as a backup (that will be with local healthcare professional, I'm not asking for that), but I'd also like to know if any of you would also know of what we (as friends and family) can do to help, common mistakes made (which drive carer's crazy), etc - not sure if that makes sense, but I'm sure that in our efforts to be helpful we sometimes make life harder!

Any assistance gratefully received,

Thanks vm
Joe
 
bless you ...welcome to the forum there is alot of very good supportive advice from others around here..... the parents/carers never cease to amaze me...they will be here offering support pretty soon xx
 
hi there Joe how lovely of you to get the nessessery training on helping both mum and child thats very nice to hear.I think one of the main mistakes is people think we have to avoid all things sugar like the plague we have to live on lettuce or dry bread or sumit but we dont , we can carry on but we have to moderate, now your god child is only 3 so im guessing that the times when she is ill or going hypo her mum will become more stressed out , do you live near them? so could you be on call type thing for her and the child when ever she needed an extra pair of hands?, i cant really add alot more but the mums of children in here of carers of diabetics will be able to pop there heads in and offer alot more

I guess one of the hardest things with kids is sweets they will be offered sweets at parties etc etc , but i guess it all depends on the stability of there diabetes a sweet maybe ok but if there running hi and the sweet tips them over then that cud lead to a hypo, it really needs a good understading of the sugars and how it effects them, it always pays to find out the signs of hi and lo are.best thing to do is look in the local library but you may read alot of conflicting info one thing will work for 1 diabetic another wont.
another tip is things like taking your child to the beach you must be so careful with feet being a diabetic even with a childs feet, things like these are all ways of helping, bare in mind a child grows quite quickly and there diabetes may change,sumit you may want to look into as well
 
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Welcome Joe!

Im sure there will be a lot of responses from people/parents who know how to advise you best in your situation. Its great you want to help like you do.

Hope you god child is doing ok and welcome to the forum.

x
 
Hi Joe, welcome to the forum🙂 It's great that you are seeking advice to help the little one and her mum, I'm sure your willingness to help is already a comfort to them both.

One thing I would suggest, for a small investment is the excellent book by Ragnar Hanas' Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults (amazon link). You might be able to get a copy from your library.

This is a really well written book that gives information about everything you need to know, and from all perspectives.

Please stick around and let us know if you have any questions. Maybe mum would like to join too?🙂
 
Thanks for the advice all, I will be having a trawl of the forum first and then will come up with a list of questions !

have a good day,
Joe
 
hi again - well I've ordered the book (above) and booked in my training for next week (pat on back not required)

So - questions (sorry if these are too stupid)

Child based
1. K is blessed with a wonderful character but when low can struggle like mad and make it almost impossible for mum to inject without assistance - what can mum use to distract her/calm her at least enough to give an injection without hurting her
2. Not sure I understand what DKA is (book not here yet) - what does it stand for/mean please?
3. Do things actually get better for very young children or are there 5-20 years of struggle/fighting ahead (this is actually a worry for mum as you can imagine)


Carer based
1. 24/7 care is emotionally destroying - how can we help (I mean really help, not just say 'anything you want...')? is just a day away enough ? Are there any groups that can assist?
2. I live a fair way from mum/child - say 45 minutes (if I rush!) - is that close enough to be 'on call' or do things happen much quicker than that - ie: I'm on call, but in a 'useless' way because by the time I get there, any drama will be over
3. What do I have to worry about (apart from getting the dosage right) - K and I have a good relationship, I see her a couple of times a month, but how will that change once I am also giving injections. I'm quite prepare to go through that , but any mental preparation would be handy!
4. Although S is a single mum, I have a feeling I should get permission also from the father (I would want to have a say) He's absent, but in contact with mum and baby and it's a workable relationship so feel I should respect his wishes also - any views?

Thanks again,
Joe
 
hi there joe firstly the distracion maybe the mum should use it the other way around and not try and distract but make it something she looks forward to i know that is going to be massivly difficult but if she can make it a big deal to her daughter and myabe reward her with longer watching her programmes or abit of extra story time.i guess its gettin into a routine maybe like having your 5 a day but of course its diffirent with food if they dnt like it they dnt have to have it but with injection it cant be missed , hopefully the child will grow out of it.
and as for DKA which stands for Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a potentially life-threatening complication in patients with diabetes It happens predominantly in those with type 1 diabetes, but it can occur in those with type 2 diabetes under certain circumstances. DKA results from an absolute shortage of insulin; in response the body switches to burning fatty acids and producing acidic ketone bodies that cause most of the symptoms and complications.[1]

DKA may be the first symptom of previously undiagnosed diabetes, but it may also occur in known diabetics due to a variety of causes, such as intercurrent illness or poor compliance with insulin therapy. Vomiting, dehydration, deep gasping breathing, confusion and occasionally coma are typical symptoms. DKA is diagnosed with blood and urine tests; it is distinguished from other, rarer forms of ketoacidosis by the presence of high blood sugar levels. Treatment involves intravenous fluids to correct dehydration, insulin to suppress the production of ketone bodies, treatment for any underlying causes such as infections, and close observation to prevent and identify complications. best meaning i could get for you .
sorry i cant answer the 3rd for you but im sure other members will be able to help alot mroe then me on that topic x
 
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as for the carer based questions not nesscserily are you to far away becoz sometimes hyper and hypoes can last and you may get there in time to see that and any support the mum can get from that will be appriciated, as far as the fathers views it dont hurt to ask and at end of day it is jsut polite, but what would your attitude be if he turned round and said id prefer if you didnt would you respect that you have think both ways, at end of day you are just trying to help as much as you can and i guess any help us better then none at all,as for worrying you must know a sensible diet for her and not have to fiddle with dosages, look into the diet for her , dnt jus focus on sugar levels on food labels look for carbs and additives, also look into the symptoms of a hyper or hypo you will need to know instincivly what to do, all you can do is find out as much as you can the more you learn the more calm you will be you will have the knowledge of the effects of things to her, maybe contact the local st johns and maybe give you a chat and they can tell you some of the key things to look out for and ask , and make sure the child has some sort of bracelet, medical id so ambulance can see she diabetic.

dont get to frustrated by lack of info form nurses of dieticians some get to see them quick others have to wait maybe you could suggest popping alot with S and K to the GPS x

I hope you find the traning of use of course you will and no question in here is stupid Joe x
 
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Be there

All you can do Joe is be there, available at the drop of a hat.
The people on this website will give you all the practical help and support,
do not be afraid to ask! it's the only way you will gain good sensible knowledge
& advice about your god-daughters condition.
I wish you all the best for 2010. Stay in touch.🙂
 
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