My little girl has just been diagnosed as T1

[Sassymum]

Hi everyone,

My little girl (aged 3) was rushed to hospital on Friday with DKA. Thankfully I had a suspicion of diabetes (drinking lots, weeing lots) so we caught it relatively early on. It looks as though the process may have been kick started by the chicken pox virus.

We are having a hard time, hospital sent us home on Monday (my husband and I are both health professionals so the carb counting, monitoring and injecting isn't an issue) and yesterday went well but today was awful- it's hard to explain to a child why you need to jab them with a needle! We've had huge tantrums and screaming every time.

I'm hoping that by joining the forum I will meet some people who've been through the same!

 

[AlisonM]

Hi Sassymum I'm sorry to her about your little one's diagnosis and welcome you to the forum. We've plenty parents who are members here and, no doubt, some of them will be along soon to share their experience and knowledge. In the meantime JDRF (Junior Diabetes Research Foundation) does a kiddy pack for newly diagnosed youngsters to help get them used to all the stuff that needs to happen. It might be worth having a look at it as it may help.

 

[KookyCat]

Hi Sassy Mum
Sorry to hear about your little one, she's so young it must be really difficult. I'm not a parent, but I know there are some here who will be able to help, so hope you find what you're looking for. Anyway I can't offer advice, just wanted to say hello and welcome 🙂. What type of insulin is she on, and have they mentioned pumps yet?

 

[Northerner]

Very sorry to hear about your little one's diagnosis

I would suggest having a read of Adrienne's essential guide for parents of newly diagnosed children. Also, I'd highly recommend getting a copy of Type 1 Diabetes in Children Adolescents by Ragnar Hanas which should help to fill in the details of anything you might be worried or wondering about. You might also want to join the excellent Children with Diabetes website, which has lots of lovely UK parents who know just how you are feeling and the struggles you are going through right now. Please let us know if you have any questions and we will be very happy to answer them.

 

[Maryanne29]

Sorry to hear about your daughter's diagnosis. I was 4 when I was diagnosed and I know I screamed, cried, lied and more to try and avoid the injection - only one a day back then. But I did get used to it and it became routine. Is it possible she could get a pump?

 

[Bloden]

I'm not a mum, Sassy, but I just wanted to say I was sorry to hear about your little girl's diagnosis...and welcome to the forum. There's lots of support here, so don't be a stranger!🙂

 

[Adrasteia]

Sorry I'm really late to this, busy week. My 4 year old was diagnosed in June and we too had all the hysterics with injections. The play leader at the hospital made a sticker chart and we used some sensory toys for distraction but for us I think the most helpful thing was the injections becoming less of a 'production'. In the hospital there was always someone else there to watch, and usually another in case he needed a distraction - he always knew what was coming which gave him time to work up into a frenzy. He normally calmed down once the needle was in! As soon as we got home it was just him and whoever was injecting - no one watching, no calculating, no priming the needle etc where he could see. Just in, distract and inject, finished. After a few of them he realised there was no need for panic, and we started showing him all of his kit. Now he feels like a big boy because we allow him to do almost everything himself under supervision - dialling up half a unit is damn fiddly for little hands....

Hope it all sorts out soon for you.

 

[Redkite]

Hi everyone,

My little girl (aged 3) was rushed to hospital on Friday with DKA. Thankfully I had a suspicion of diabetes (drinking lots, weeing lots) so we caught it relatively early on. It looks as though the process may have been kick started by the chicken pox virus.

We are having a hard time, hospital sent us home on Monday (my husband and I are both health professionals so the carb counting, monitoring and injecting isn't an issue) and yesterday went well but today was awful- it's hard to explain to a child why you need to jab them with a needle! We've had huge tantrums and screaming every time.

I'm hoping that by joining the forum I will meet some people who've been through the same!

Hi and welcome, though sorry you have to be here. I definitely recommend you get the Ragnar Hanas book, it's really motivating as well as thoroughly useful information for all the situations you might encounter.

My son was 4 at diagnosis (14 now) and he still remembers his terror at the nurse coming into his hospital room in the night with the fingerpricker - he was diagnosed on the Friday of a bank holiday weekend so no paed DSNs and no suitable gentle equipment, just a bog standard fingerpricker suitable for rhino hide . It broke my heart when the nurse brought his insulin injection and he was crying and asking me to hide him from her, whereas I had to hold him down.

Unfortunately there's no choice but to be firm and quick about injecting - there's no point cajoling and prolonging the agony, better to be no-nonsense about it, get it done, and then cuddles afterwards. However, we set up a system of "prickle pennies" - so we bought a nice piggy bank, and every time he had a "prickle" (injection or finger prick), he was given a penny to put in the pig. When full, he got a trip to the toy shop to buy something of his choice, and then the piggy bank would start refilling again.

If you're on Facebook you might like to join CWD - Main Group. x

 

[stephknits]

just like to wish you a warm welcome to the forum and sorry to hear about your little girl. Do let us know how you are getting on

 

[trophywench]

The lady has not been in since she posted the message, unless she's reading but not logging in.