Offloading & a question

[Just Laura]

Picture the scene...

Today my daughter (6) had a swimming party to go to with her new friends from her new school; her classmates know she's diabetic but I haven't had chance to meet many of the other parents yet so I don't know if they do, let alone understand what being diabetic entails.

So we head off, extra sugar on board (green banana) and Tamsin has a lovely time splashing around in the pool with her buddies.
However, when she comes out of the pool I can tell by her general demeanour that she must be on the low side so try to get her to do a prickle test. She wasn't having any of that so I skipped straight to the jelly baby stage. She wasn't having any of that either!

Now my lovely daughter who is polite and kind and a pleasure to be around turns in to the hypo-monster! She was yelling at me, telling me I'm the worst Mummy ever and she wishes I wasn't alive. She told one of the mums to shut up, that she hated her when she asked if she was okay and told another one 'bloomin hell, go away' when she did the same. Oh and "THE PARTY WAS RUBBISH!"

I understand why she's the way she is and just kind of carry on regardless (she just wants to be left alone when hypo & coming round). I was trying to explain that Tamsin was diabetic and that her sugar levels were too low and that she'd be okay once she'd had a jelly baby. Well, she screamed louder and they looked at me like I had two heads!
Now, I'm not too worried about them - if they're worth having round, they'll stick with us and take the time to understand and get to know the real Tamsin but here is my question to you all....

What is it that causes such varying reactions to a hypo? Do I assume she was really quite low or is it the speed at which your sugar levels drop? Mostly when she's hypo (in the 3s) she just feels grotty and wants a bit of peace but on the odd occasion we face the above.

Sorry for the essay but it's good to offload here and hopefully get to understand it all a bit better for her.

x


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[Patch13]

even as an adult I have varying reactions.

Sometimes I just feel the need to eat, whilst other times I feel extremely angry (at which point my husband knows that it is time to leave me alone till my BS have come up as there is no reasoning with me).

It probably is partly due to how quick they are dropping as I can have the same BS level as I have had before but the hypo will feel a bit different / have different symptoms and reactions.

I hope the other parents understand.


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[jack412]

also it may be the situation she found herself in when she hypoed, she may have wanted to play with her new friends and not hang out with her mum treating a hypo.
diabetic or not the parents have had their own kids throw a wobbly and get the 'I hate you'.

 

[Just Laura]

Thanks Patch, I hope so too.

And that answers my question. Tamsin is usually really, really hungry following a hypo but oddly wasn't today.

Just when you think you've got the hang of it, it all changes.
It's so frustrating for me, can't imagine what it must be like living it.

x


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[Just Laura]

True Jack. I wouldn't have wasted to either. Soooo annoying for her.

x


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[Just Laura]

Wasted?? I mean wanted



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[AndyS]

Hi Laura,

It is a tricky one. I know that when I catch my hypos early I am mostly the same but it seems to be something where their is a lot of variability.
I think there are far more factors at play than we think.

For example I have had a hypo of 1.3 where I was physically ok though mentally I was struggling to add 1 and 4 to get 5. Then Hypos when I was 1.8 and my legs decided they didn't want to work.

Unfortunately I think that it is a complex combination of biochemical and behavioural things. Perhaps in this case it was almost a rebellious lash out reaction to the hypo in that she was having fun and she didn't recognise it herself so that was how it manifested itself.
It is complex enough as an adult and I find myself doing and saying things when I am going low and I am on the inside (subsequently) going "wait what the hell?"

I don't think their are any hard and fast rules here, perhaps since you are perceptive enough to spot the hypos in her demeanour you could offer the jelly babies first, get the finger prick later and correct even later if you were wrong at the next scheduled finger prick. Perhaps she is getting to a stage where she is resentful of the condition in front of her friends (I am guessing on this since I was never there but I can understand how it could happen) so the jelly babies are for everyone and she isn't singled out maybe? Other parents or T1's from a young age please feel free to poke holes in my theory here and call me an idiot.. I don't mind.

As for the other parents, if they understand then great.. if they don't then they are not worth your time

All the best.

/A

 

[Just Laura]

Andy, thank you. I think you're right on all points.

I have to say the jelly babies for everyone is an excellent idea. I am most definitely going to go with that next time. You most definitely do not sound like an idiot to me.

And I'd also already decided not bother with the finger prickle first, either.
You live & learn!

x


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[SamJB]

I need to be left alone when hypo. I can't stand sound, or conversation and need to avoid both as it's quite unbearable. As an adult, I know I can't be rude to people who are trying to speak to me when hypo, but I can totally understand how a child can feel like this. If I'm in the house, I need to go to my bedroom and be left alone until I'm better.

My dad works on the trains and told me that a diabetic flipped out at a conductor when he asked him for a ticket. I think they guy wanted to be left alone to get out of his hypo rather than deal with buying a ticket. He assaulted the conductor, but he wasn't prosecuted because it was proven that he was hypo.

When I explain to non-diabetics what a hypo feels like, I ask them to remember when they've been really hungry, a bit shaky and light-headed. Well that's what hypos feel like, except if you're in the low 3s or 2s, considerably worse.

 

[Brunneria]

My hypos usually involve self pitying miserable doom, gloom and plummeting depression, aching limbs and 'what's the point of eating' - unless another person is around, in which case I feel an unreasoning contemptuous rage for them and their pathetic, insulting and offensive attempts to try and make me eat.

So yeah, I guess I identify with your daughter quite well...

 

[noblehead]

What is it that causes such varying reactions to a hypo? Do I assume she was really quite low or is it the speed at which your sugar levels drop? Mostly when she's hypo (in the 3s) she just feels grotty and wants a bit of peace but on the odd occasion we face the above.

Going by her reaction I would have a guess that she was much lower than the 3's. The brain needs a constant supply of glucose and when it's starved of this it can lead confusion and behaviour which is out of character.....as in what happened today.

Perhaps next time she goes swimming you should get her to eat some small snacks during the swim to keep her bg levels up, swimming and any other form of exercise makes us extremely sensitive to the insulin that we inject so you might want to reduce her bolus dose by 50% prior to the swim.

 

[Just Laura]

Thanks everyone. Though it's clearly not good for you guys, it's good to understand what's happening & how she might be feeling.

Thanks for sharing.

x


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[Just Laura]

And thanks for the pre-swimming tips, too. I just figured I'd do what we do before her usual swimming lessons but I guess I didn't factor in the excitement of it all!

x


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[mrman]

Been swimming this morning with my ten year old. Had breakfast and bolused as normal to compensate for disconnection, had some lucozade (kept poolside) half way through, few sips, tested when finished and 5.5, had some more lucozade to avoid a further drop, but 40 ish mins later was 3.0, pre lunch, had more lucozade now waiting for sugars to go up, and will do a reduced bolus for lunch.

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[Just Laura]

Thanks Brett, Tamsin doesn't like fizzy drinks (long may that continue!) but she does love a fruit smoothie so could always keep some of that poolside.

Great idea, thanks.

x


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[mrman]

Thanks Brett, Tamsin doesn't like fizzy drinks (long may that continue!) but she does love a fruit smoothie so could always keep some of that poolside.

Great idea, thanks.

x


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any liquid with sugar is handy to have nearby.

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[Squire Fulwood]

I had an experience recently where I went back in time. I couldn't remember my PIN and tried to contact the bank, one that was taken over four years ago. It must be hard for a child to experience something like that and even harder for a parent who has a child that is acting strangely.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Laura

Maomi do great little sugary balls that are so yummy they are far better to get a child to eat... Especially when children know in their hypo states that jelly babies ate not the nicest hypo stoppers especially after months of them.... Or years.. When I'm home today I will let you lnow what these maomi balls are...

You don't have to stick religously to jelly babies.. Your daughter, in a hypo state will come to loathe them and would readily eat something else... Dollymixtures x7 or10 etc.

Personally, I think it is better to vary hypo stoppers.. I certainly know what things I will take readily... It may be just having variety.

You could speak to parent of party host and ask if there could be an opportunity to meet other parents and them at another time away from children to explain the life and hypo's of a diabetic child.... I would definitely agreeto this if I was the host...

You do not need to worry... If you are that worried, send a note explaining to the host and some additional photocopies asanexplanation...

Your daughter will be loved for who she is, and this hypo is part of diabetes.... Not her if you see what I mean.


Lots of ways to deal with this situTion, but best give some thought first, without just jumping in...



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[Just Laura]

The hardest thing is other people's reactions And knowing that she'll likely be judged for something which is no-one's 'fault' - let alone hers.

And knowing that I would probably have been the same pre her being diagnosed


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[Spiker]

Ha, my little daughters can behave like that at times, and they don't even have Daddy's excuse of diabetes.

Being low can cause a fight or flight response, like a cornered animal. It's very hard for another person to treat a diabetic once they get in that state. I suppose earlier intervention is the ideal, but - much easier said than done. I think you handled the situation correctly and it's just one of those things. A strong hypo aggravated by all the normal childhood social pressures of wanting to fit in and not be different. I hate to say it but that is the dominant issue in the childhood of diabetics as far as I can tell. (I was late onset).