Why my child? finding it hard after 8 months

sienna0505

Newbie
Messages
4
HI EVERYONE, JUST COUNTING THE DAYS TO CLINIC IN DECEMBER, INSULIN PUMP HERE WE COME!!! :wink: :D :D JUST WONDERING IF THERE ARE ANY YOUNG USERS OF INSULIN PUMPS OR PARENTS OF A CHILD THAT HAS ONE, WOULD GIVE ME A FEW POINTERS AND AN IDEA ABOUT GETTING STARTED WITH ONE, PLEASE MESSAGE ME, THE OTHER THING IS CARB COUNTING, ANY IDEAS TO MAKE THIS A BIT EASIER WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED AS I FIND MYSELF GETTING A BIT CONFUSED SOMETIMES :? :?


My daughter was diagnosed on 2nd january 2008, she was almost 9 years old, i am now finding things hard due to her honeymoon period coming to an end, blood sugars all over the place, I have been told that it is normal for this to happen, but im still struggling.
We have just found out that she needs to wear glasses, she never had a problem with sight before her diagnosis and i am concerned that things are goin to go from hard to impossible to cope with.
I know it sounds dramatic but i need reassurance that my little girl isnt the only one to suffer with ongoing health problems and i would really appreciate some feedback on this matter, thank you, from a worried diabetes mummy x p.s trying to organise a fundraiser and 1st anniversary do for her, wld like to raise some money for southampton general hospital diabetes team and jdrf, any ideas wld be appreciated x :D :D
 

jacquirs

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hi sorry to hear you are having a hard time, i can't help as not a parent but if you look on the forum there is a thread called Parents with Children with Type 1 that has some useful stuff and a link to another website
 

gaynor

Active Member
Messages
37
Hi sienna0505, I know exactly where you are coming from. My son was diagnosed at the end of March this year just two weeks before his 4th birthday. It is very difficult and you do think why my child. I hate the thought that my son has to have this condition for the rest of his life. Sometimes I think I have needed to have a good cry about it but unfortunately I can't let myself go as I worry I will never stop. I am going through exactly the same as you at the moment as my son is coming out of his honeymoon period after only 6 months. The last month his sugars have been all over the place and we have been struggling to get them under contol. He has just started school as well so I don't know wether that has had something to do with it. I have been so frustrated lately with it as we got him under great control after the first month or so and for about 4 months he was doing great. We now seem to have gained a little control back in the last couple of days and have started carb counting to fine tune his insulin dose better. As for the glasses issue that could just be a pure coincidence. I wouldn't think that the diabetes would have affected her eyes already. My eldest son who is 7 wears glasses and has done since he was 3. Its not a problem you will soon get used to it. I actually can't imagine my son without them, infact he looks strange when he takes them off. Better to get her eyes sorted now then them get any worse. If you read my thread called Parents with type 1 child, you will see how despondent I was the other day about it all. It is really hard I know. Thats why this site is so good, you don't want other people to be suffering but it is nice to know that you are not alone and can talk to other people who are going through the same thing. I personally don't know anybody else with a diabetic child so this site has been great. If you want to chat at all please feel to PM me it would be nice to talk to someone else who is going through the same thing.

Gaynor xx
 

KimSuzanne

Well-Known Member
Messages
151
I was diagnosed at the age of 7 and went through hell after my honeymoon period - the only thing that ever got me through was knowing that my Mum was right there every step of the way no matter how many times I shouted or told her to leave me alone she was always there with me. I'm certain your daughter feels the same there is a light at the end of the tunnel it may seem miles away right now but it is there!
 

sienna0505

Newbie
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4
KimSuzanne said:
I was diagnosed at the age of 7 and went through hell after my honeymoon period - the only thing that ever got me through was knowing that my Mum was right there every step of the way no matter how many times I shouted or told her to leave me alone she was always there with me. I'm certain your daughter feels the same there is a light at the end of the tunnel it may seem miles away right now but it is there!
Thank you for your reply, it is a horrible age isnt it, it is hard at the moment but i know it will get easier, it just doesnt seem that way at the moment, and yes she knows that no matter wat i will always be here to support her and take care of her if she needs it, as your mum will know, the most protective feeling comes over you when u find out your child has diabetes because we know it is for life, we cant just rub it better and give u a plaster!! I was just wondering how long it took for ur bloods to stabilise after this period, u can PM me if u want, thanx again, xx
 

kirst

Newbie
Messages
1
hi, its the first time ive used this forum, but i read your discussion and i thought i should reply as i can totally understand your concerns for your daughter. My 3 year old daughter was diagnosed with type one diabetes when she was just 18 months old. As she was diagnosed so young she doesnt know much different, and is not bothered by her jabs and even does her blood tests by herself already. At the moment it is slightly easier as she can now tell us how she feels and if she is having a hypo. But initially it was so hard trying to get her insulin dose right and i used to worry so much about complications.
I have spoken to the diabetes nurse about problems with eyesight and she reassured me that there would only be problems if the diabetes was poorly controlled over a long period of time (as in years and years), and if we carried on controlling her diabetes as best we could, which is really difficult at first but does get easier, the risk of complications would be not much different than someone without diabetes.
In a way it must be more difficult for you as your daughter was diagnosed at 9years, and must be so hard . I often worry that there is a chance our 6 year old could develop diabetes, and how dreadful it would be to suddenly have to give injections, etc.
The nurse has trained the nursery school teachers how to do jabs, and also my sister and mother in law know, which is reassuring when they babysit etc,
when my daughter was first diagnosed i read up about diabetes, searched stuff on the internet which just made me so confused and upset as i always read about complications, but since then i have spoken to diabetics who have healthy lifestyles, and realised that we need to encourage our daughter to control her diabetes as best she can and teach the importance of having a healthy lifestyle.
i really can sympathise with you, but im sure as time goes on you and your daughter will find coping with diabetes will get easier.
 

sienna0505

Newbie
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4
Hi, sorry havent got back to you, have been really busy! I have just told my daughter about your little girl and she is amazed, she says it is hard for her so your little girl must be really brave! I am hopin my daughter will get a pump in december when she goes to clinic, the hospital is just waiting for their funding!! Thanx for your post, take care, cath x
 

lionrampant

Well-Known Member
Messages
562
Hi - first of all I doubt the eyesight issue is actually diabetes related. It usually takes years for diabetic retinopathy to kick in. Also, to answer the question every parent has - no, it's nothing you did or did not do. We have plenty of theories as to what causes Type 1 Diabetes, but none of them are any better than "it's written in the stars".

When I was diagnosed (aged 9) I was at the falling over/blue lips stage and I never suffered any long term effects... other than despising the taste of flat, warm lucozade thanks to the sensible hypo stops you get in hospital.

Sufficed today that your daughter will probably handle this better than you. Just remember that this cannot stop her from doing anything she wants in life (although driving a bus or piloting a fully loaded 747 can cause some insurance issues). You'll succeed, you'll fumble the ball sometimes, but in the end so long as you help her manage her own condition properly then you'll have done right by her.
 

hanadr

Expert
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As parents, most of us would take any of our children's problems on ourselves. Unfortunately we cannot, so we just have to equip them as best we can to cope for themselves. As both mother and grandmother, I have been lucky. I have not had to deal with any ill health except mine and T1 husband, but I know how I'd feel. Learn everything you can and trust your maternal insinct and you won't go far wrong
 

suzi

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Hi Sienna,
My son Andrew went for an eye examination 3 months before being diagnosed in 2006, and we came out needing glasses, then 3 months after i took him back as he was complaining of headaches. They gave him a stronger lense, i was horrified! 12months later we went back, i can honestly say he didn't wear them as he should have. Result no need for glasses, why? i think each time he had he's eyes tested his BG's were running a little high, optitian was aware of his diabetes, but high sugars can cause the lense to react differently and vision can be distorted.
If you honestly think theres no need for the glasses, get her tested somewhere else and check her BG's 1st.
Suzi x
 

Katharine

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Messages
819
Sienna,

I'm sure you will get lots of carb counting lessons during your pump training sessions. If you want to get a start you could do the B-DEC course. Just google it. This is free and online.

Fortunately some areas are much more open to pump provision especially for children. Ayrshire only has two patients on pumps :p and I don't know what age these folks are or if they are paying themselves or not.

My son was offered one (at our own expense) but he prefers the pen injections. Whatever suits your daughter best is the right thing.
 

heidiphillips

Member
Messages
13
Hi Cath,
I'm the mum of a 7 year old, diagnosed in August. She's been on a pump (Medtronic paradigm) since October. We have a weighing scale, we bought from Argos, that allows calorie counting and carb counting for any food that you need to weigh. You weigh the food, tell the scale what food it is and it gives you the carbs. we also have a little book (free from Accucheck - just ring and ask - I got their number online) that contains most types of foods (even takeaways) with their carb content per 100g of food. With Tia, within 2 weeks of diagnosis, we had realised the benfit of low carb on her BG; however by November we realised the effect of low carb on her weight (she had lost a kg - most people should gain when going on insulin). So whilst I remain acutely aware of the benefits of a low carb diet; my experience with Tia says to go easy. Our main problem remains the high fat foods - the fat seems to mean that she stays higher for longer. I'm happy for you to get in touch by email if you want a chat. Heidi
 

helenlavery

Newbie
Messages
4
Hi there, my son was diagnosed with type1 July last year he is 11 years old i no exactly how u feel x i couldn't get my head round it too i was crying every day for weeks why my child but am now getting on with it as every day life because uv got to my son uses insukin pens so i cant help u with the pump dont no anything about. eye site could be coinsedince. all you can do is what im sure you are already doing being there and helping her understand things my son is going through a bad honeymoon period so we are opting for the basal/boulus to help control his bs as just now he is on the 3 daily injections but this is not get any steady bs anymore. It is an awfull lot to take in and a worry about all the complications but if u help her keep good bs then she'll be fine and adapt to every day life with the condition my son has totally amazed me he is so brave and has accepted it better that i have it is hard and confusing having to count everything they eat especially when eating out but like everything else you learn the more you do it and soon will become part of everyday routine hope u get the info your looking for just thought i'd reply as i dont no any other parents just new to the forum take care and hope to speak again soon.

Helen
 

Katharine

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Messages
819
When I was sorting out Steven's insulin doses for higher carb meals I used to take the nutritional scales into restaurants and use them.

I don't know if anyone noticed or not but I did not get any comments from waiting staff.