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deetzs

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Hi, we have a 8 yr old grandson who has recently been diagnosed with type1. It all seems so daunting, we are slowly coming to terms with it though, I'm sure we will get there.
 
Hi - you'll get lots of replies from the Type 1s here, but all I wanted to say was to wish you all the very best for your grandson. Daunting though it is, it can be managed, and he should have a good life all the same. And, I do think, that it is completely within the bounds of possibility that he will not need to live with diabetes all his life - his generation has the most, most to hope for and expect by way of achieving more than management, but an actual cure.

This is a wonderful forum both for expert recommendations etc, but also for sheer emotional support and sympathy.
 
Welcome to the forum

How’s your grandson coping and how are you and his parents coping?
 
Welcome @deetzs A Type 1 diagnosis is a big shock, particularly in a child. There’s a lot to take in and lots of practical things to learn. It does get easier though. The first few weeks are intense, but that will slowly ease.

A great book, often recommended here is:

Type 1 Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young People by Ragnar Hanas

I hope your grandson is feeling better now he has his diagnosis and the treatment he needs.
 
Hello! Welcome to the forum.

It can certainly seem very daunting at the start, but there is so much support out there and I'm sure that it'll all come together soon.

Wishing him the best of luck! There is so much research still being done so we're really hopeful about finding a cure one day. 🙂
 
Welcome to the forum @deetzs

Sorry to hear about your grandson’s diagnosis.

Yes you are absolutely right - it can be completely overwhelming to begin with. It is such a steep learning curve and everything can seem to foreign and unfamiliar :(

But take heart! There has never been a better time to be living with T1 - and modern treatments, technologies, monitors and systems can make taming T1 more achievable than ever.

We had a thread the other day mentioning the huge improvements in quality of life, and life expectancy these days - with people living 50, 60, and 70 years well with their diabetes along for the ride 🙂
 
deetzs said:
Hi, we have a 8 yr old grandson who has recently been diagnosed with type1. It all seems so daunting, we are slowly coming to terms with it though, I'm sure we will get there.
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Hello @deetzs im sorry to hear about your grandsons diagnosis, it is hard on all of the family.

I was diagnosed with T1 three weeks before my 8th birthday and am now 34 have a great life. This will be a difficult transition but I can tell you that kids are so resilient and that this diagnosis will not stop your grandson from doing anything we wants to do.

I have honestly done everything I’ve wanted, as a child I was very sporty swimming at a national level, I went away to sports camps away from home and loved it. I’ve lived alone, have eaten every food you can think of, travelled, been on safari where there was no electricity, have a great career. Honestly it is all possible.

I have often felt that my diagnosis was at times tougher for my parents and family than for me as it is a very different type of worry. My mum actually said to me this week that she wishes she had had a crystal ball that could have foreseen where I am now so that she knew it would all be ok.

I would suggest reading everything you can “think like a pancreas” is a really great book and others have also mentioned some great resources.

Make sure he knows that this doesn’t change his future and doesn’t define him as a person.
 
100cas said:
Hello @deetzs im sorry to hear about your grandsons diagnosis, it is hard on all of the family.

I was diagnosed with T1 three weeks before my 8th birthday and am now 34 have a great life. This will be a difficult transition but I can tell you that kids are so resilient and that this diagnosis will not stop your grandson from doing anything we wants to do.

I have honestly done everything I’ve wanted, as a child I was very sporty swimming at a national level, I went away to sports camps away from home and loved it. I’ve lived alone, have eaten every food you can think of, travelled, been on safari where there was no electricity, have a great career. Honestly it is all possible.

I have often felt that my diagnosis was at times tougher for my parents and family than for me as it is a very different type of worry. My mum actually said to me this week that she wishes she had had a crystal ball that could have foreseen where I am now so that she knew it would all be ok.

I would suggest reading everything you can “think like a pancreas” is a really great book and others have also mentioned some great resources.

Make sure he knows that this doesn’t change his future and doesn’t define him as a person.
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I'm also very sorry to hear this, and I completely agree with everything @100cas said above, I was diagnosed at 7, and while it's a minor inconvenience, I've never really known any different. It's just part of life. I really wouldn't dwell on any perceived disadvantages or see it as a disability. I think displaying that attitude for him is the best way forward, my parents were doubtless worried about me, but their trust in me to manage my situation helped me immeasurably by not seeing it or letting it be seen as a disadvantage/disability in any way (including by myself - I have never thought that I should be labelled as disabled in any way).

I went to boarding school from 11 and managed my diabetes by myself while there (I saw a consultant once a year of course and the staff were very supportive - I had somewhere to jab myself and keep snacks, etc.), my friends would also keep an eye out and feed me/drag me off to see matron if I was looking a bit dazed or passed out. I then went away to uni, lived and worked abroad, travelled lots internationally on my own and with friends, played sport at school and uni, etc.

+1 for the fact that it's doubtless harder for parents. The added responsibility for grandparents (being trusted to take care of someone who's not your direct responsibility) must be very hard. I really do hope it doesn't impact your relationship with your grandson and stop you doing things you otherwise would have.

+1 also for the book recommendation (though perhaps not knowing about all the potential future problems would be better at that age), I wish there had been better books and wider availability of technical literature when I was younger. It probably wouldn't have changed anything (I generally ran low and was always eating), but it's great to understand more.
 
Thankyou for your supportive and positive responses, it's a great reassurance. We are getting there. His mum has CF so it's more stress for her as well. Were looking to take him abroad hopefully, are there specialist travel insurance companies that cover diabetes?
 
I use All Clear @deetzs They cover pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes. You can choose different levels of cover and get a free quote.
 
May I just say that with All Clear (which I have used in the past in respect of other medical issues in my family), the site gives you the ability to try out various answers to their medical questions. You may need to create a 'spare' email address, but once you have it and use it on the AC site, you can then try out different answers to the questions - this then shows up just how they come up with their pricing, so you understand how they draw up the policy for you, ie, what the critical factors are for them.

Good luck with it all, and I'm sorry to hear about the CF - not easy at all alas.
 
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