any advice would be fab!

Hi

It must be very difficult to look after a diabetic toddler!

It could be the reason you are not getting any replies is that people are unsure what advice to give you...if it were YOU who were diabetic, it would be much easier as we are all adults and know about how it is to be a diabetic adult.

I would love to be able to help you but I'm really clueless as to how would be best to deal with such a young child who is diabetic.

I'm not sure whether any members have young diabetic children?

Sorry Kim the site has been having problems today and it has been difficult to get on!Welcome to the forum and I'm sure someone will come back to you with answers.If you look in the 'links for diabetes 'you will find some good tips on carbohydrates.It must be very difficult trying to get a three year old to eat what is good for her and still keep her BS down.I hope someone will get back to you as I know there are one or two on here with young children who are diabetics.Best of luck..

Knowledge is the key to control

Hi Kim, I dont think I am able to help you, I am type 2 diabetic, it must be so hard coping with a 3 year old diabetic child, bless her and explaining to her what is happening there, then there is the worry of mixing with other children, she will be wondering why dont they get jabbed with needles, etc - there are type 1 diabetics in here they have been diagnosed since childhood, one member Sarah Q is an inspiration, she has been diabetic for over 40 and has no complications, this gives hope huh? I am so surprised that I cannot find a forum for parents of diabetic children although some local health authorities do their own thing, tell which area you live, maybe I can find out more for you.

There is a link for a forum you may be interested in but its not UK based http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/ - do come back here though, as Sue says people have had problems accessing the site today so you will probably get more replies.

All the best and a hug to your little darling x

Karen

Challenges can be stumbling blocks or stepping stones, it depends how you view them

Found this website,it is canadian but it does have a lot about caring for younger children with type 1.Hope it helps.

http://www.bchealthguide.org/kbase/topi ... escrip.htm

Knowledge is the key to control

Hi Kim,
What a tough call! I am Type 1 myself, and I have a nearly 2 year old, who is not diabetic...but I recognise teh moody description all right! I was daignosed at 4 years old...many, many years ago! In teh bad old days, I was on a fixed dose of insulin, and learnt to carb count. My Mum used to have lots of guidebooks about it, saying things like, "an egg sized potatoe is 10 grams of carbohydrate. This approach has changed over the years, and I now eat almost what I want...not quite, but with a lot more freedom than I used to have, and then inject the right amount of insulin to balance this. To do this though, you have to be on a basal bolus regime..ie 2 types of insulin, long acting and short acting, that takes care of your meals so to speak. YOu say that you little one is on 2 injections a day, so she doesn't have this freedom...this is not a bad thing though as it can be quite tricky when you are a rational adult, not a tot! I guess, (although this is my opinion, and as much as I can tell from your post...I am no expert!!)that in your daughters case it is more simple to make sure that she gets the same amount of carbohydrate each day. How much is basically trial and error. Just as reference, at teh age of 4, I was on 25 grms for breakfast, 10 grams for a snack, 25 grams for lunch, 10 for a midafternoon snack, 25 for evening meal, and 10 for supper. I am not saying this ideal...and it depends on insulin etc, but might help as a starting point.
Now, and I write this as a Mum, and not a diabetic...toddlers can be picky, and change their minds as to what food they like at the drop of a hat...so do not beat yourself up if it doesn't go to plan. As far as shopping goes, there aren't many things that are "not allowed". Obviously, sweets are best avoided, but she can have them occasionally, if they are part of a snack/meal etc. Plain bisuits are fine too...basically, she eats what you eat...you just need to watch her carbohydrate intake. Say evening meal tonight is the toddler classic, fishfingers and beans...fine! Beans do have quite a lot of carbohydrate in them, so "pudding" should be low carb...melon and a bit of yogurt etc. If you are planning a "big pudding" meal...crumble or the like, then the first course should be low carb...fish, green veg, eggs etc.

Your daughter will grow up to think that you are an absolute hero! I am in constant awe of my own Mum...coping with me and my diabetes muct have been so difficult. She does laugh when my own daughter is being "strong willed" and says..now you know how I felt! The only thing that my Mum did, that looking back, was not a good thing was making some food "forbidden". She was right of course...chocolate alas, is not a health food for anybody. She did her best, and would get me "diabetic chocolate" (which is worse for your health that the usual stuff by the way, and really should be avoided, but we didn't know that in 1982). Of course, when I hit my teens, I rebelled against this, and had a few years of bad health because of it. Limiting the bad (ie yummy stuff!) is perhaps wiser than restricting it totally.
Not sure this has helped much...and I know I have rambled, but if I can help, please let me know!
Jill

Hi Kim I'm type 1 diabetic have been since I was 7 I'm 24 now and I sill have days when I want something I can't have. I'm sat here with my Mum and we used to make flapjacks with lots of dried fruit and things so I could have something nice when the other kids had sweets. I used to help make them it was great fun!

Kimmy

Sorry just thought of something else when I was first diagnosed I just to inject a dolly or an orange with my Mum coz I was scared of needles and refused to inject myself at first!

Kimmy

Hi again,

Maybe not one to do now, and probably with the help of the professional, but if Bethany is hungry, then she needs more food. If she needs more food, she needs more insulin. Eventually, once her body and she/yu gets used to how it all works for her (It is different for everyone you see) she may be able to change insulins, and have an injection before every meal. Don't tell her this at the moment though...as the thought of even more injections isn't a good one I know. The benefit of this though, if she fancies a big meal, she has a big injection, and if she is not hungry, she has a small injection, and not much food. To get this stage takes time...especailly with a child who is growing, but it will be a godsend once she hits the teenage years!

hi kim ,
I am also in the same position as you my son has type 1 and has done for 8 months now ,he is 3 in june.It is also very hard for me and a constant struggle to controll his levels ,one minute he,s great next its not. my son was never a great eater a very fussy one at that,and now it is so hard to get him to eat what i need him to eat ,because of this he has suffered from hypoglycemea alot. It is so hard to keep food interesting to a toddler in this situation he just gets bored and fed up .anyway its good to know that there is somebody else out there in the same position as myself and it would be great to chat as i don,t get a chance to speak to anybody else who is in this position ,hope to hear from soon .

HI KIM
It is so hard , it was very hard in the beggining he would scream and cry when having his insulin and i would end up crying with him,but now he is amazing after his food he will pull up his sleeve and just let me do it he is not scared and he does not blink an eye.He even helps me set up his needles and his glucose moniter,i think having to prick his finger bothers him yhe most ,asthey do get a bit sore.It does get easier and your daughter will get used to it.he has been in and out of hospital several times since being diagnosed due to being ill and refusing to eat ,he was in hospital last week he had a throat infection,because of this he would not eat for the best part of three days he was having three hypos a night and i had to wake him up and try to grt him to eat ,but i mean it is not that easy waking up a 2 year old and giving him a sandwich and expecting him to eat it ,it was awful i did not sleep for three days.
Is youre daughter in playgroup ?i am very nervous in sending my son to nursery in september,he is so clingy to me since the diabetes he never stays wiyh anyone apart from me and his dad.anyway its nice to speak to you i hope your daughter improves
best wishes kelly {keep smileing}