Hi everyone my name is Dave and my 8 year old son has today been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Me and my wife are both devastated and have no understanding or experience with this. My son is currently in hospital awaiting to see the diabetes team on Monday before they will let him come home. I’m just looking for some reassurance really as at the moment it feels like our whole world has been turned upside down.
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New to all this!!
- Thread starter Dave p
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SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome to the forum that no one wants to need to join.
I am sorry to hear of your son’s diagnosis, and I know that it is a lot to take in at the start, and a very steep learning curve. However I can reassure you that it does get easier, and it is a manageable condition. It just takes a bit of planning and organisation.
When you and your son meet the specialist team on Monday they will take you through the management that you will take on together, which will include testing and injecting insulin. It seems very complex at the start but I liken it to learning to drive. At the start it seemed a lot to concentrate in but they then become automatic, and you just keep a watch for the unusual. So it is with Diabetes.
I found a book T1 Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young Adults by Ragnar Hanas very useful at the start as it gave me clear explanations. It is regularly updated so worth seeking out the latest edition.
There have been many recent developments in the equipment that we have available to manage our condition, but your Diabetes team will introduce these as and when your son is ready. For now they will work with you to bring his glucose levels down gradually, and then work with you all to enable you all to manage changes in insulin doses.
Keep in touch and ask absolutely any questions that you have.
I am sorry to hear of your son’s diagnosis, and I know that it is a lot to take in at the start, and a very steep learning curve. However I can reassure you that it does get easier, and it is a manageable condition. It just takes a bit of planning and organisation.
When you and your son meet the specialist team on Monday they will take you through the management that you will take on together, which will include testing and injecting insulin. It seems very complex at the start but I liken it to learning to drive. At the start it seemed a lot to concentrate in but they then become automatic, and you just keep a watch for the unusual. So it is with Diabetes.
I found a book T1 Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young Adults by Ragnar Hanas very useful at the start as it gave me clear explanations. It is regularly updated so worth seeking out the latest edition.
There have been many recent developments in the equipment that we have available to manage our condition, but your Diabetes team will introduce these as and when your son is ready. For now they will work with you to bring his glucose levels down gradually, and then work with you all to enable you all to manage changes in insulin doses.
Keep in touch and ask absolutely any questions that you have.
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Your world has changed but it will soon become just a different ‘normal’ life.
You are not alone, and there is plenty of help available on here. There will be other parents along, but I suspect a few are away over the holidays.
I have volunteered in T1 Family Weekends which are what it says on the tin. There is a programme for the children with T1, their parents and also for any siblings. It was great to see the youngsters develop their confidence and have the chance to talk to others who are managing their condition. The parents also get a chance to talk to other parents. I have also benefitted as a volunteer from just being with loads of others with T1 and being ‘normal’. These are advertised in the Diabetes UK Website and I will flag them up on here when the ones for this year are posted up.
Keep in touch and keep asking.
You are not alone, and there is plenty of help available on here. There will be other parents along, but I suspect a few are away over the holidays.
I have volunteered in T1 Family Weekends which are what it says on the tin. There is a programme for the children with T1, their parents and also for any siblings. It was great to see the youngsters develop their confidence and have the chance to talk to others who are managing their condition. The parents also get a chance to talk to other parents. I have also benefitted as a volunteer from just being with loads of others with T1 and being ‘normal’. These are advertised in the Diabetes UK Website and I will flag them up on here when the ones for this year are posted up.
Keep in touch and keep asking.
Flower
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hello and welcome @Dave p 🙂
Sorry to read of your son’s diagnosis , it is a huge shock to the system with no time to adjust. Things do start to fall in to a new normal and you’ll work things out together and with your sons team. At first it seems like an overwhelming challenge but things do settle and start to make sense.
The book @SB2015 recommends is an excellent go to resource .
I hope your son is feeling much better now he has an insulin supply again and I wish you all well 🙂
Sorry to read of your son’s diagnosis , it is a huge shock to the system with no time to adjust. Things do start to fall in to a new normal and you’ll work things out together and with your sons team. At first it seems like an overwhelming challenge but things do settle and start to make sense.
The book @SB2015 recommends is an excellent go to resource .
I hope your son is feeling much better now he has an insulin supply again and I wish you all well 🙂
Felinia
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Welcome. You will find this Forum a wonderful support and source of information. I read only a few days ago of a professional footballer who is Type 1 and I personally know someone who was diagnosed Type 1 at around 12, and represented England at junior level table tennis. He still plays for his county as a veteran now and is a father. So once you've all come to grips with everything, your son will lead a full life. Some time before your son returns to school, you will need to speak to the school and find out what measures they have in place. Others on this Forum may advise you what to ask about. Best wishes
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Dave p - though sorry to hear of your little one’s diagnosis.
Hope the initial shock is beginning to wear off just a little and you are getting good, solid support from your hospital team.
if anything is unclear or you think it doesn’t make sense, feel free to check with the experienced folks here. While we can’t offer advice as such, we can certainly give pointers and help explain things from a grass roots perspective 🙂
Hope the initial shock is beginning to wear off just a little and you are getting good, solid support from your hospital team.
if anything is unclear or you think it doesn’t make sense, feel free to check with the experienced folks here. While we can’t offer advice as such, we can certainly give pointers and help explain things from a grass roots perspective 🙂
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