Please help, T1 new diagnosis

[AMum]

Hi, my son is 17 and I took him into A&E concerned about diabetes, he’d been showing symptoms for a few weeks (was waiting on gp) but things escalated yesterday morning so I took him in.
My question is what should we expect to happen now. So far he has been in A&E 24hours on insulin and fluids but stable. He’s now been moved to another Emergency care area and nobody seems to know a plan. They are talking about sending him home.
He was given insulin via a pen this morning. No contact from the diabetic team.
I just wanted to check what is typical these days.
My sister was diagnosed 25ish years ago and she was kept in while being taught how to manage her diabetes.
I understand services are stretched so don’t want to go full on mum mode unnecessarily!
Thank you in advance

 

[Inka]

Hi @AMum Sorry to hear about your son’s diagnosis. I think they do tend to discharge people earlier now. I remember being in hospital for 4 or 5 days when I was diagnosed almost 30 years ago, but reading posts here, it seems that that time has now shortened. It also depends if he was showing signs of DKA or needed drips.

He should see someone from the diabetes team but maybe that will be on a separate occasion? I’d ask specifically. If they say the consultant can’t see him, ask if a DSN can before he leaves.

Make sure they prescribe enough ‘kit’ for him to tide him over - insulin, meter, test strips, etc.

 

[helli]

I was diagnosed about 20 years ago and spent no time in hospital.
I think it depends on how the diagnosis came about and overnight stays are related to managing the DKA (which I did not have) rather than learning how to manage the insulin.
I agree with @Inka that the focus before discharging is that your son has the kit he needs and knows what his initial insulin dose is.

 

[rebrascora]

I agree with @Inka that the focus before discharging is that your son has the kit he needs and knows what his initial insulin dose is.

.... and a contact number for support because he will likely need to speak to someone in those first few days/weeks and GPs and practice nurses have very little knowledge or understanding of insulin usage, so a helpline number for the diabetes clinic (if they have one) at the very least.

There is so much to learn in the first few weeks and months and you need regular input and support from an experienced Diabetes Specialist Nurse because initial insulin doses are really a best guess and need regular adjustment in those early days. So.... plenty of supplies because it can take time for information to come through to GP practices for repeat prescriptions to be set up and a contact name/number for support.

Of course here on the forum we will also provide as much guidance and support as we can and we can tell you what we might do in his situation, but we can't specifically advise on adjusting his insulin doses.
I would also like to welcome you and your son to the forum. Sorry he qualifies to be here but it is a goldmine of experience and knowledge so I am really pleased that you have found it and look forward to hearing that your son is home soon. It will be a scary time for him and you but it does get much easier with practice and we are here to talk you through it and reassure you.

 

[nonethewiser]

Think in your position I'd be asking staff to ring diabetes clinic & ask if diabetes nurse would pop up to ward for a chat before lad is discharged, it's freightening leaving secure surroundings of hospital then going home without any adequate training, certainly couldn't have done it myself when diagnosed put it that way.

 

[Thebearcametoo]

Is he being treated as an adult? He’s in that tricky middle ground between services. With a paeds diagnosis we got lots of support and weren’t allowed home until we’d had some info and the beginnings of carb counting etc. I would be pushing if possible to be under paeds because he’ll get a lot more support even if they will then discharge him when he hits 18. Under adult care you get a lot less help.

 

[Tdm]

Even as an adult i got calls every couple of days when i was on meds, and same when diagnosed as T1 and put on insulin.
It was all done in the community / hour or so in diabetes clinic
Though push fir him to get a much help as possible cos you need it in the early days

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear about your lad’s diagnosis @AMum

It’s quite understandable that you are worried - it’s what Mums do!

If you’ve not had it recommended already, you might find Ragnar Hanas’s book helpful - Type 1 Diabetes in Children Adolescents and Young People

A T1 diagnosis in the family is such a steep learning curve, and it can be really helpful to have an accessible and clearly written source of reference.