4 year old son

[naithan2004]

hi after trailing through the internet for information i have come across this forum. after reading some of your posts i am sooooo excited i now have somewhere to go with my questions!

My name is Vikki and Im 26 from Co.Durham. i have 2 boys Naithan 4 and Jacob-ellis 18 months.
Naithan was diagnosed just before xmas. after intially being on injections and then an insuflon cannula (both of which he HATED and took 6 of us to give him his insulin) he is now using an insulin pump, which he seems to "like". i have no1 with diabetes in my family and although im trying to follow the advice of the hospital i feel like i dont know what to do at times.

so glad ive found somewhere to talk to other parents!

vikki x

 

[Orchid]

Hi Vikki

I used to live in Co Durham, but I now live in Scotland.

I am type 1 myself and so are both my children, both diagnosed age 9. My boy is 15 and my girl is 10. Welcome to the forum, it's good to talk!

Orchid

 

[naithan2004]

thanks orchid. i was actually hoping someone could give me some advise -the reason for me being on here now and not being asleep :wink:

only now he has got a sore throat and tummy bug. he has been sick a couple of times and is pritty much refusing to eat. the only thing he has really eaten today was a bowl of ice cream, and then was sick within an hour. it is nearly 1 am and i have just tried to get him to have some juice and a biscuit which was a real battle and his bg is hovering at about 4.3. im scared about him having a hypo throughout the night as normally he is about 8-10 before he goes to bed. any advice on trying to get him to eat/drink throughout the night? he is not being sick all the time so i dont know if i should be calling the hospital, but i dont know how to keep his bg stable all night?

thanks vikki

 

[Orchid]

Hi Vikki

So sorry that I wasn't there to chat last night, the previous post was my last one before I fell asleep. Sounds like you had a rough night ahead of you! How are things this morning?

Orchid x

 

[hanadr]

Hi Naithan's Mum
I can't help you much. I've never been in your shoes. but I'm glad you found this forum. Somewhere on it is someone who can answer all your questions. I do know that infections put the blood sugar up and you need to keep monitoring and to give correction doses of insulin if it goes too high.

 

[CalicoBec]

Welcome to the forum, i hope all is ok

Becca

 

[bettylollypop]

Hi there, i am also new to the forum, however my son who is 7 has had type 1 for 2 years now, he was diagnosed when he was 5. So hopefully i can give you some advice and vice versa. When my boy has a tummy bug etc i just keep the lucozade on side and he sips this, either that or orange juice.

 

[diabetesmum]

Hi Vikki,
I hope you and Naithan are better this morning. The standard advice we have been give is: if the child is sick twice (or more) within the space of a couple of hours, ring the hospital. Dehydration is a problem for any young child, but especially so for a Type 1 diabetic. Also check his ketones - anything more than a trace (testing urine), or over 0.6 if you are testing blood ketones with an Optium Xceed, then get to hospital asap. Sick children can become ketotic despite having very low blood glucose, and this is a dangerous situation. He probably needs to go on a saline/glucose/insulin mixture through a drip to keep him stable. He could deteriorate very quickly, so please don't hesitate to get medical help - take him to A&E if necessary.
Best wishes,
Sue

 

[Helen Hoppe]

Hi, I'm hoping you could give me some advice. I was told on Sunday that my 4 year old son has type 1 diabetes. What a shock ! he was very poorly for 3 weeks with vurises, chest infections and very high temp. They say this could have shock the system into the Diabetecs state. He is injecting twice a day and will only let us put it in his leg, I really want to start trying in his bum and tummy but he is not having any of it. Are there any tips you could share with me about ANYTHING that could help me get me head around this. I have had ALL the education the hospital gives, but when you have just been told that your child has this horrible condition, you just dont take it all in.

Hope to here from some one

Helen

 

[Orchid]

Hi Helen

Welcome to the forum, sorry to hear about your son. On the positive side at least he will be starting to feel much better now.

I have 2 children with diabetes, type 1 a boy 15 and a girl 10. They were both diagnosed age 9.

I totally understand there is so much to take in the first few days.

About moving around injections sites - it is important to avoid "lumpy" areas which if happens through too much injecting into the same site causes the insulin not to be absorbed as good. This is an area I still have problems encouraging the kids to do this, because they get used to the same place.

But good on you for trying to get it going from the start.

The only thing I can think of at the moment is trying to explain to him, simply, why it's important (I know he's only 4). Maybe doing this when it is NOT injection time, to give him time to get his head around it for the next time.

Sounds like you are doing really well Helen.

Take Care
Orchid x

 

[suzi]

Hi Helen,
I remember the place you are now with your son, the emotions you go through, the utter confusion, i was there 3yrs ago with my son, then aged 7. Things do get easier, as for injection sites, as his only 4, why not try a star sytem chart, when he does it in his leg he gets 1 star on the chart, but if he does it in his tummy he gets 2 stars, aiming for 15 stars or more in a week to get a surprise/treat (comic, kinder egg ect) We did it with Andrew and it worked wonders, and it doesn't have to be expensive, a 97p toy car out of tescos.
Hope he's feeling better today, there's plenty of us Mums here to help you along
Take care
Suzi x

 

[Orchid]

Great idea Suzi

Orchid x

 

[suzi]

opps sorry, i meant Orchid at the top of post, i work in a playgroup with 3-5 yr olds, and its amazing how little simple things work, yes at the end of the day its bribery, but if gets the result you so much crave, use it. Doesn't need to cost anything either, even recycling rubbish into art projects, a couple of pound on glue and paint, and the usual (eg)"well if you do your injection there, we can make a rocket, after dinnertime" If you need any ideas, iv'e a head full of them.
Suzi x

 

[Orchid]

Suzi

Last year I was attending Scottish Slimmers, I lost a stone, but I'm now having a go at low carbing instead... anyway what I wanted to mention is the fact that at the SS for every half a stone you lose - you get a sticker I think it's a yellow one for half a stone and a blue one (I think for a whole stone) . When I reached my half a stone I would not get off the scales until the class manager put the sticker on my weigh in card!! so it works for adults too :lol: - it's about what that sticker represents.

 

[suzi]

Thats so true orchid,
I'm going to have a go at low carbing myself, i could do with losing a stone, so here's my plan of action for every 1lb i loose i'm going to put £2 in a jar, so when iv'e lost the stone i'll have £28 and hubbies going to match it, why cos iv'e fell in love with a handbag and its £56, never spent that much on a bag in my life, but i want it soooo much. and if by the time iv'e reached my goal (well it is a womans perogative to change her mind) i'll still treat myself to something really nice.
My friend is doing rosemary conley diet at the minute, she has been dieting for 5yrs and never managed to lose more that her registration fee :lol: but on this diet she has managed a stone and we're so proud of her. So i reckon if she can do it then so can i.
Suzi x