Type 1 and Autistic 22 year old

[mums the word]

My son newly diagnosed, hates doing the blood glucose testing and can't see the point. He cant seem to get his head around the logistics of causing himself pain by pricking his finger more than once a day. He needs everything in his world to be black and white and he needs a logical reason. He is doing his base insulin, and his meal insulin calculating his carbs, adjusting the insulin to match his carbs but he cannot justify the blood glucose testing. Therefore his insulin doses cannot be calculated by the diabetic nurse to make sure he is on the correct dose.
He seems to think that because they are lower than they where its all ok.
I have tried to explain why we need to do this, but he avoids me when I tell him its time to do his blood.

He also has a needle phobia. Which holds him back.

 

[DiamondAsh]

My son is just like that... he almost fainted when I was asked for a finger prick test at the docs. What I would do in that situation is not trouble the lad any further. If he's letting you test once a day that is good and it will have to do. He's doing well if he has a needle phobia.
If I couldn't calculate the carbs then i would suggest he forgoes them altogether. But I have no experience of Type 1 and how carbs affect it... let's see what others say.

 

[mums the word]

His last readings were still too high, I believe they're meant to be in single digits. But his are lucky if they go as low as 18. His keytones are fine now, he doesnt mind testing that on the urine strips!

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[GlazedDoughnuts]

May be it's worth having a chat with his Psychiatrist and seeing if there is something they can do in terms of counselling/workshop to aid with needle phobia/why testing is needed.

 

[kesun]

My son newly diagnosed, hates doing the blood glucose testing and can't see the point.

That sounds a very difficult situation for you, especially with an adult son. Have you asked around on any of the autism parenting sites? Several studies suggest that diabetes (both types) is more common among people with ASD, so many parents must suffer the same problem as you.

Kate