Hi everyone ,my son is five years old and diagnosed type 1 a week ago.no family history of diabetes so I know very little.but I m trying my best to survive.i need guidance and help for coping this disaster.anyone interested in helping a helpless mother?????
parent of newly diagnosed type 1
- Thread starter maryam123
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azure
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Welcome @maryam123
Sorry to hear about your son's diagnosis. There's a Parents section here that you could have a read of. You're not alone. Ask as many questions as you want.
I'm going to tag @daisy1 for you as she has some basic information.
I know it doesn't seem like it now, but things will get easier. My top tips are test lots and learn to carb count. I have children but none of them have diabetes. If they did, I would consider an insulin pump as I know from firsthand experience how helpful they are, especially for children who'll need small doses of insulin.
But for now - keep testing and, if possible, record what your son eats too as that, along with his insulin doses and test resukts, will provide useful info.
Finally, I believe there'll be a cure in the not too distant future so hopefully your son won't have to put up with Type 1 for too many years
Sorry to hear about your son's diagnosis. There's a Parents section here that you could have a read of. You're not alone. Ask as many questions as you want.
I'm going to tag @daisy1 for you as she has some basic information.
I know it doesn't seem like it now, but things will get easier. My top tips are test lots and learn to carb count. I have children but none of them have diabetes. If they did, I would consider an insulin pump as I know from firsthand experience how helpful they are, especially for children who'll need small doses of insulin.
But for now - keep testing and, if possible, record what your son eats too as that, along with his insulin doses and test resukts, will provide useful info.
Finally, I believe there'll be a cure in the not too distant future so hopefully your son won't have to put up with Type 1 for too many years
Thanks alot. Actually my son was on steroids a year ago for six weeks but he was fine after that. And he don't have any symptoms of diabetes. Actually one day he urinated in the garden and few ants gathered around his urine,that was the first thing my husband noticed.we went to his doc and after testing his urine there was high glucose level in that.and then his blood sugar was tested and the result is 275!!!Welcome @maryam123
Sorry to hear about your son's diagnosis. There's a Parents section here that you could have a read of. You're not alone. Ask as many questions as you want.
I'm going to tag @daisy1 for you as she has some basic information.
I know it doesn't seem like it now, but things will get easier. My top tips are test lots and learn to carb count. I have children but none of them have diabetes. If they did, I would consider an insulin pump as I know from firsthand experience how helpful they are, especially for children who'll need small doses of insulin.
But for now - keep testing and, if possible, record what your son eats too as that, along with his insulin doses and test resukts, will provide useful info.
Finally, I believe there'll be a cure in the not too distant future so hopefully your son won't have to put up with Type 1 for too many years
He is now on five units of lantus once a day and his levels are quite under control. Is it possible for a type 1 to be controlled by such a low dose? I m actually hoping that may be he has steroids induced diabetes which is infact reversible? May be after getting support from lantus for two to three months my son's system will recover from steroidal side effects and he can stop using insulin....... What do u think????
azure
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When people are first diagnosed, yes, they can only need tiny doses of insulin, and, of course, a child would need smaller amounts anyway. The right amount for anyone is what controls their blood sugar. This could be a tiny amount or a large amount. Everyone is different.
I cant answer your question about steroids. Have you asked your son's doctor about that?
Hi. It is possible that the effect of the steroids is still around, but I think it's unlikely your Son will become completely free of diabetes. I wouldn't worry about the low insulin dose as we all vary a lot. Just use the meter to check that his bloods are in the right range.
SteveOsborne
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Hi and welcome
I'm a father of two and know first hand what you are going through. I'm type 1 and also is my son infact we were only diagnosed 4 months apart luckily I was first. My son just turned 3 last week he is on quite a lot of insulin for his age and always has been. For the last year on 12 or more units of lantus along with his rapid insulin at meal times. Carb counting is a haunting experience but once you know and are used to it trust me you buzz around the supermarket looking at nearly every label there is to be looked at, so thats my first recommendation. Second is chin up and be positive my son now can now check his on levels (with supervision) prepare his insulin pens but me or my wife have to inject as he still doesn't understand the numbers.
I'm here if you want to ask any questions
daisy1
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@maryam123
Hello Maryam and welcome to the forum Here is the information, as recommended above, which we give to new members and I hope you will find this useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will help.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
Reduce your carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes
LOW CARB PROGRAM:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/low carb program
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Hello Maryam and welcome to the forum
Here is the information, as recommended above, which we give to new members and I hope you will find this useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will help.BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes
LOW CARB PROGRAM:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/low carb program
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Thanks alot. Can u please give me the blood sugar ranges in other units not in mmol/l ?@maryam123
Hello Maryam and welcome to the forum
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes
LOW CARB PROGRAM:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/low carb program
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
TorqPenderloin
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If you're in the US like I am, you're looking for mg/dL. The easy conversion is to multiply those numbers by 18.
Example: 5mmol/L= 90mg/dl
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@maryam123, there's a really good book that you should purchase, it's called Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults by Ragnar Hanas, I've not read it myself but have heard many good things about it. Good luck.
Thanks,I'll definitely try to read the book. I want to ask a question as my son is recently diagnosed I don't have much experience, what r the symptoms of hypo during sleep,I mean we cant constantly check the bs levels,then how can I know that my kid's bs levels r going down while he is sleeping?????
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The best people to ask for advice is your child's diabetes team, they will advise you on when you should test his bg whilst asleep and how you can recognise the symptoms of a hypo.
TorqPenderloin
Well-Known Member
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If you're in the US (which I'm guessing is possible based on your mg/dl units discussion) I'd strongly suggest getting your son on a Dexcom continuous glucose monitor.
They're not cheap, but with insurance they can be very affordable (under $1000) and much cheaper if you've already hit your annual deductible.
That would allow you to know exactly what your son's glucose levels are at at all times, get alerts when he has hypers/hypos, and the peace of mind is incredible.
carolmcewan
Newbie
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Hi I'm type 1 (for 10 years) and if I hypo in my sleep it always wakes me up so I can get up at eat something.
My sister was type 1 from 2 years old and when she was younger if she had a hypo in her sleep then she would wake up moaning loudly so my parents would hear her no problem and be able to give her some orange juice or glucose tablets to bring her round.
I hope that puts your mind at rest a bit.
I saw someone mention the book 'carbs & cals earlier' by the way - it's great, I have the app on my phone and use it all the time to figure out how many carbs are in food and so how much insulin to take.
Thanks alot for ur reply. U know today morning what happened,, my son was sleeping and I checked his fasting bg(I often checked his fasting levels when he was sleeping) and the reading was 56!!!!! He was sound sleeping without any symptoms of hypo, that's the problem which I m afraid of,if someday his levels go down further during his sleep,how would I know that????? It is not possible to check his levels hourly.....
