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Newbie here. mum of recently diagnosed 8 yr old with type 1

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Gemma444

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Parent of person with diabetes
Hi all

Just wanted to introduce myself, I was told about this website from Bev one of the members who I have been speaking to already (thanks Bev, you have been really helpful). I'm Gemma and my son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes almost 2 weeks ago. I couldn't believe it when the doctor told me that my son was diabetic I blamed myself, what had I done wrong. I got loaded with informaion from doctors, nurses, dieticians, and the day Jack was discharged from hospital we met Tracy our diabetes nurse, she is really nice. At the moment i just feel lost in it all to be honest.

Jack is on 2 injections a day. One in the morning and one before tea. the insulin is called mixtard 30. His sugar levels arent great at the moment hes up and down and im also trying to work out what to give him at snacktimes as hes been out to play this week and has come in twice to have his finger prick done just before dinner and his blood sugars are low.

My son has been wonderful with it all having his injection and doing the finger pricks as he calls them. He starting to try and do the injections himself. I'm very proud of him.

Any advice you can give will be greatly received.

Thanks
Gemma
 
Hello and welcome to the forum , sorry to hear this news about your son :(You both sound like you are coping brilliantly ! Well done 🙂I'm not a parent but a type 1 , so know all about finger pricks and injections ! You son is doing better than I was at first ! we have alot of parents who will be able to help and advise you on anything you are not sure of.
 
Hi Gemma, a very warm welcome to the forum🙂 You'll find lots of parents here happy to give advice and support - Bev being one of them!:D

There is a huge amount to take in at first, but just try and stick with the important things at the moment - recording details of fingerprick tests, food given, activity levels - so that you and your nurse will have something to discuss at the next appointment. It's great to hear how your son is adapting so well to things.

Anything you need to know, just pipe up!🙂
 
Hi Gemma ...

Welcome to the forum .. the large extended family ... :D

So glad you have already spoke to Bev ..

I so know how you felt and feel over your sons diagnosis .. I was exactly the same when Nathan was diagnosed 2 and a half years ago at the age of 11 .

Wow ... Thats brilliant that your son is trying to give himself the injections ... amazing ....:D ...I unfortunately can help as regards to the twice daily injections as Nathan is on 4 MDI and has NovaRapid and Lantus.

In the first few weeks after diagnosis Nathans BG's were erratic .. swinging form high to low .. To ease the lows a little we worked on a little but often approach to eating ..

Heidi
xx🙂
 
Welcome Gemma.

My son was diagnosed in July 07 at the age of 10. He started on two injections then swapped to mdi (multiple daily injection) in Nov 07. Life became much easier on mdi. In July 09 he started on a Veo pump and life became even more easier.

I understand the shock of how you are feeling now but i would like to re-assure you that it does all get easier.

I am sorry this has happened to your son. You will find a huge amount of support and advice on this forum. Feel free to ask any questions, no matter how small.

Feel free to pm (private message) any time.

Look forward to getting to know you.

Mand 🙂
 
Hya Mand, Heidi, Northerner, insulinaddict09.

Thank you all for the warm welcome. Im sure I will be spending lot of time on here in the future.

Hi Northerner, I am writing everything down at the moment. Im writing down what Im giving him for snacks and what his blood suagr results are to see whats working and what isnt. Today he had a reading 3.2 before dinner. I had given him 2 plain biscuits and a banana for his mid-morning, I think he sneaked in another biscuit as he was walking through the door. This mite be ok when hes back at school as he will be sitting down alot of the time, but he has been out playing with his friend for most of the day on his bike and playing football. He is a very active child he doesnt want to sit down for very long. Can anyone suggested anything else I could try him with.

I might try what Heidi as suggest with little but often approach to eating. thanks Heidi.

Mand, how did you find things with 2 injections? Ive heard good things about the 4 daily injections rather than just the 2. Is it just me or is everyone always clock watching, I seem to be always looking at the clock.

Gem xx

I hope i'm making sense as i'm only making bits of sense out of things myself.
 
Hi Gemma ...


For snacks you could try ... fruit ... bananas are a good one .. Crisps .. but try to aim for wotsits, monster munch .. corn based rather than potato .. cereal bars are also a good choice.

I spent the first couple of months constantly watching the clock ... for meal times, BG Testing, snacks etc ... I think this is because everything is new .. the routine etc ... I promise you that it becomes second nature befroe to long ... :D

Heidi
xx🙂
 
Hi Gem!!!!!!!!!

Glad you found us! If you have any questions, put them on the 'general chat' section of the forum - because more people will see them then.🙂

I am not sure how many people still use the 2 injection regime so you may not get the level of advice you need. But on the other email list i told you about - there are parents whose children used to be on this method and there are still a couple of children still using it too - so you may get more indepth help from there. Both forums are brilliant - so stick around and i am sure we will all get you through this! I hope J is doing ok and getting used to it all. 🙂Bev xxx
 
Hi Gemma
My son is also 8 and was diagnosed 2 weeks and 4 days ago- not that I'm counting!! I totally understand where you are coming from- have a look at some of my previous posts and you'll see. J is on 4 injections a day and his blood glucose has become a bit more stable inn the last few days but he still seems to have a hypo everyday at some point. This site is great, it has made me realize that I'm not alone and everyone goes through the same type of feelings. Please feel free to message me anytime- I'm no expert but am good at listening.
Take care 🙂
Caryn x
 
Hi

You sound as though you are both doing fantastically well. My daughter was diagnosed 3 years ago when she was 5 - we are making absolutley no progress whatsoever with her taking control of her own jabs - think this may be a little control thing on her terms only. She does have fantastic hypo awareness and knows what she can eat and what she should limit - thankfully.
We are seaking advice of the phsycologist at the clinic for tips on the jabs as she has now developed a big wall around doing her own jabs - she is perfectly capable but throws a hissy fit every time we try. Patience is very difficult around this one.
So.................Give your boy an enormous pat on the back from me for being a very brave boy.
Take care,

Wendy x
 
Mand, how did you find things with 2 injections? Ive heard good things about the 4 daily injections rather than just the 2. Is it just me or is everyone always clock watching, I seem to be always looking at the clock.

Gem xx
Click to expand...


Hi Gemma

We only stayed on 2 injections a day for 3 months. The truth is that we found it very difficult because he had to eat at set times and could not eat to appetite. He had to eat snacks at set times too. Life was very diffuclt for us back then because our lives had to fit around the diabetes. The advantage, of course, was only 2 jabs a day and no school lunchtime jab.

When he changed to mdi, it was like we got our lives back to a large extent. Now diabetes fitted around our lives instead. He could now eat what he wanted when he wanted it as long as he injected enough insulin to cover the carbs. No more clock watching! No more eating bang on time with definate snack times. It was like a weight off our shoulders. My son was self injecting right from diagnosis so doing the school lunchtime injection was no problem to him. His blood sugar levels were much more controlable on mdi too.

I would highly recommend mdi. Feel free to ask me anything about it or pm me. 🙂

My son went on to develop a needle phobia so was put forward for a pump. He started on a pump a few weeks ago and our lives have changed yet again but for the better! It is amazing! No more jabs, no clock watching, no Levemir/Lantus at bedtime. Just eat like everyone else and push a button!

The pump is not without its disadvantages but is truly amazing!

Anyway, i am going off subject here! Sorry, Gemma.

Please keep us updated on your progress and keep asking anything you want. I wish i did not have so much diabetes knowledge but sadly i do. So i might as well put it to good use! Ask, ask, ask! I am no expert but will help where i can.

Mand xx 🙂
 
Hi again all,

sorry its took me a few days to reply i am back at work now. I have never worried about Jack so much before. I even rang my mum at lunch time to see if he was doing ok.

The hypos are still happening just before luch time, tryed giving him a bit of choc as he is out playing most of the morning but that hasnt worked. I spoke to our diabetes nurse yesterday an she has reduced his morning insulin to see if that helps but last time he ended up having really high blood suagrs close to bed time.

I know what you mean Mand about the strict meal times, I had finished work today and had to get jacks tea on as soon as i walked through the door. The 4 injections sound much better. Jacks done another injection himself today so thats good. Im just worried about him doing it right and he is its me panicing.

Hi wendyh im sorry to hear about your little one must be hard for all of you esp with her only being so small. I really didnt think my son would do the injection himself, so it has really suprised me that hes so willing to do it.

Hi to steff09, nice to meet you.

Hi bev im really glad you suggested me this website, I have been doing plenty of reading.


Gem xxxx
 
Carynb said:
Hi Gemma
My son is also 8 and was diagnosed 2 weeks and 4 days ago- not that I'm counting!! I totally understand where you are coming from- have a look at some of my previous posts and you'll see. J is on 4 injections a day and his blood glucose has become a bit more stable inn the last few days but he still seems to have a hypo everyday at some point. This site is great, it has made me realize that I'm not alone and everyone goes through the same type of feelings. Please feel free to message me anytime- I'm no expert but am good at listening.
Take care 🙂
Caryn x
Click to expand...


Hya caryn

How you getting on?

my son seems to be having a hypo almost everday aswell at the moment. i just panic and think i have done something wrong. I'm glad bev told me about this site as I was just thinking you have no-one to talk to who understand what you are going through.

Gemxx
 
Hi Gem!

Sorry to hear J is still having hypo's mid morning. Have you tried giving him a cereal bar? These can be good as they are slow release with a bit of fast (if you see what i mean) so it might just help to stop it before his lunch? Are you actually treating the hypos with the chocolate? If yes then it wont work as well as pure glucose (jelly babies or glucotabs etc) as the fat in the chocolate will delay absorption of the sugar.
Have you asked your dsn about the 4 injections rather than the 2?
Well done to J for doing his own injections - what a little star! Your all doing great Gem - it must be hard leaving him and going to work - but he is in the best hands - so try not to worry - and if there is a problem you are at the end of the phone.🙂Bev x
 
How is it all going? xx 🙂
 
hya Bev and Mand

I will try a cereal bars. We treat his hypos with normal pop or hypostop he seems to like the hypostop hahaha. going to get some jelly babaies aswell. how many shud i give jack 2 or 3 jelly babies?

Spoke to our diabetes nurse and the insulin has been reduced i have just gone to do is blood sugars before he has his injection and hes hyper this time. I'm speaking to her again Monday so i will put my concerns across to her and ask about the 4 injections. Hes was on 7 units in the hospital and then he was having hypers in the late afternoon. same as today. I thought this might happen.

I just feel i am doing something wrong, help!! I'm feeliing really down today. I'm going up a friends later so that might cheer me up a bit


Gem xxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Hiya Gem

I'm Adrienne and my daughter Jessica now 9 has been insulin dependant since 5 weeks old.

I am thinking that your son is on two injections a day of mixed insulin. Unfortunately no child should be put on this regime anymore and its a cop out on the part of the hospital and I'm sorry you are battling highs and lows. On mixes you will do and I know you are feeling guilty but let me assure you this is most definitely 100% not your fault.

On mixes you chase insulin all day with food. The general pattern for most children on twice daily mixes are very high mid morning, hypo by lunch time and possibly high mid afternoon and hypo by tea time.

The only way to deal with this is with food. Snacking is essential when on twice daily. With my daughter when she was originally on twice daily, years ago, even if she was in the 20.0's mid morning we still had to give her a cereal bar otherwise she would crash down by lunch time. So the regime was :
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Tea
Bedtime snack

The only reason children are put on twice daily is that the medical teams say it is easier for the schools as they then don't have to supervise or administer an injection. Not good and not right.

I would look into the 4 daily asap if I were you, you will find much more freedom, you and your son. The insulin will not be in charge, you will be. You will be giving insulin to match the food not chase the insulin with food as you are doing now.

Just a quickie about snacks and cereal bars. Some of these cereal bars are extortionately high in carbs. You should be looking at about 15 grams of carbs per snack. I used to scour the biscuit aisle and worked out that two biscuits of a certain type would add up to between 14 and 16 carbs. There are a few cereal bars that are around 15 cho (carbohydrates). The Harvest Cheweee bars are ok at 15 cho. Then there are the coco pop bars, the frostie bars etc, they are also ok would you believe. However things like the trackers etc can be in the 20's or higher so I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole. You will soon see what is a good amount of carb or not.

Sorry I have waffled but I could go on and on for ever (just ask the others).

I only wanted to reassure you that you are doing just fabulous. The highs and lows are not your fault nor your son's so please don't beat yourself up about it.

Take care
 
I think about 5 jelly babies are ok or you can get the mini packets of haribo and the whole mini packet is ok. Watch though as these might not be quick enough acting or he might eat them too slowly. You just need to get the quick acting in quickly so if he has the sweets make sure he eats them and not sits and sucks them as I know my daughter likes doing ! 🙂
 
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