How do I explain to 4 year old?

[vikki0205]

Hi

I am new to this forum but was diagnosed type 1 when I was 15, I'm now 33. I've always lived with someone but have recently separated from husband and now it's just me and my little boy who is 4. He has seen my inject on many times and knows mammy is a diabetic but I am struggling with how I talk to him about if I am poorly and need help. How do I do this without scaring him? I don't want him to have the burden of making sure I'm constantly ok. Has anyone gone through this would could help me please

Thank you x


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[noblehead]

I told my kids when they were little so that they were aware, as both my wife and I had to work I was often left alone, I just said if they ever found me unwell then they had to ring their grandma up or dial 999, thankfully they never had to ring either but I do think making them aware is a good idea.

 

[Julie1471]

I programmed daddy's number(mobile) and grandma & grandad's number into all phones incl their mobiles, and taught them parrot fashion, mummy is type 1 diabetic and I live at blah blah blah. And how to call 999, then either call daddy or grandma & grandad( and to put our husky, in her cage, my mum doesn't like dogs). But it was easier for my daughter and she cottoned on very quickly, but for my son it was harder( he's older but autistic, so my daughter got it quicker). But I remember when my son was 2 I really crashed out at about 2pm, my husband came in at 8pm to find my son in bed with me asleep with his fingers in my mouth. My son' snappy was full but my husband delt with me, and when I had come round enough I told him that he should have delt with my son, before me. But he came back with he's got a full nappy it's not going to hurt him, unlike you.

 

[anna29]

You could place a bright cheery sticker on a memory stored
phone button .
Tell him to 'press' it if you are ill .
It wil magically connect to a grandparent or close relative of your's.
He will hear the very familar voice and be able to say you are 'ILL'

Promise him a reward or treat too .

I have done this with my own 5year old granddaughter .
She often presses it to talk to her grandad and loves to chatter
to him .
He is happy to talk to her anyways .
One day or time it just may be really 'needed'

This way it isnt a scary way or puts them under pressure
to speak with a stranger .

 

[Lucie75]

My children know what to do just because they have watched me test and treat hypos since they were toddlers. On a number of occasions my son has had to force me to drink lucozade because I've gone into the denial stage of being hypo (I think he was about 5 at the time). I too have important numbers programmed into the phone so that both my children can use them if need be. Children are incredibly resilient - you won't scare them. To them it's just normal. When my son was nearly 3 I passed out while I was home alone with him and I was unconscious for around 4 hours before my parents called in. Apparently he ws sitting next to me playing, with a full lucozade bottle next to him. He'd known what to do but couldn't get the bottle open. It broke my heart, but on the positive side he wasn't scared or upset. He just played as though I was asleep. That episode scared me more than it scared him and he can't remember it now (he's 9 now), whereas I had to have counselling about it. By the way, we now buy lucozade sport bottles with the flip-tops on and always break the seal of all the bottles in the house so the kids can get them open.

 

[vikki0205]

Thank you all for the advice, I think I probably am being to cautious from something he's always seen me do. I'll have a little chat with him x


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[noblehead]

Good luck Vikki

 

[C burns]

I tried to be honest with my kids (aged 3 & 4). They no all of our neighbours well and my neighbours know I'm type 1. My kids hav bn told that if I'm not well of they cnt wake me then they go to a neighbour for help. I also hav a photo of my husband with his phone number beside the phn and an ambulance picture with 999. My daughter (4yrar old) can copy the phn number onto phn to call for help if needed. I'm a bit neurotic and role play to make sure they not whT they're doing


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[hale710]

I tried to be honest with my kids (aged 3 & 4). They no all of our neighbours well and my neighbours know I'm type 1. My kids hav bn told that if I'm not well of they cnt wake me then they go to a neighbour for help. I also hav a photo of my husband with his phone number beside the phn and an ambulance picture with 999. My daughter (4yrar old) can copy the phn number onto phn to call for help if needed. I'm a bit neurotic and role play to make sure they not whT they're doing


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The picture with the phone number is a great idea!


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[C burns]

Tbh it was easy for me to explain. A few months prior I had a bad hypo n kids couldn't wake me. My husband had left for work at 7 n I wakened at 11am with both kids and dog jumping on me. Both kids had gotten up n my daughter got them cereal bars from the cupboard and cartons of juice. I was very lucky that they were both ok! They only tried to waken me again as they were hungry. I sat them both down that day n explained that mummy's tummy is a wee bit different from theirs n told them that if they eat sumthing their tummy breaks it down but mummy's tummy doesn't no how to do that so I Nd special jags for mine to work n that means I'm diabetic. I made sure the kids saw me checking by blood and taking injections from then on. For sum reason I used to hide that from them. That same day I made ul the photos n numbers and showed my daughter how to unlock the front door. I spoke to my neighbour directly across from me n we decided to put the plan into action to show Freya how to unlock door and go there for help. We practice it every few weeks so she is confident with it incase of an emergency. The gd thing is kids r very resilient. If I hav a bug now Freya always asks if I Nd help because I'm diabetic. It really upsets my mum as she thinks it's too much pressure on a 4 year old but I have to say, she takes it in her stride and I'm very proud of her. On the other hand, Shen I tried to explain to my 3 year old son. All he was interested in was 'mum if ur not well can I take 2 biscuits b4 I get help' haha thank god I'm not relying on him!


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[C burns]

Sorry for long reply


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[Juicyj]

Hi - kids are a bit smarter than we give them credit for, I'm sure they know a lot already, mine is 5 and I've always been open about my diabetes, my daughter even reminds me to check my sugars before I eat and when I have a hypo she knows we have to be quiet and wait it out, she really is my best buddy, she's never been scared by it just curious and if I did have a bad hypo she knows to go the the neighbours. He will be fine just be straight about everything, have a plan for if things could go wrong and both of you will be ok