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Confused Parent

M

MISA

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My 8 year old son has just been released from hospital with T1 Diabetes after DKA - totally a shock to me. I am really unsure as to how it will effect his day to day school life, I already have another son who is autistic and wondering whether I continue going to work will be too much. I already claim DLA for autistic child will I still be able to claim for T1 child too? He will be the only child at the school who is diabetic too so am wondering how that will effect him. Any advice or reassurance would be good. :oops:
 
hi. you have to wait 3months to claim dla for your child and then put worst day senario paediatric should help with the foem and also with the school. doesn.t sound like he or you are ready for school yet. diabetes is never good butit gets ok. each age group has its own snags. good luck and try the diabetes youth forum. it may seem daunting at the mo but you will be an expert very quickly. a big hug to all your family xx
 
Thanks for that it is all a bit daunting and a bit confusing at the moment still do not know if we are on the right track as his readings are still very high but thankfully keytones are low. Guessing it will settle down in a while. He is a star and is coping very well luckily he does eat fairly well although a lot of carbs but we will try and adjust to everything.
 
also just when you think you.re getting somewhere along comes the honeymoon period where he needs less insulin as his pancreas decides to do the last push of making its own insuli. my daughter is 12 dx beginning of year six. still have more high blood sugars than should. but she is 12 going on 16 !!!!!!. i.m still learning. but this is a good place to ask questions xx
 
Hi, I can't really help with your school system but just wanted to let you know that there a quite a few parents here that can help with all things diabetes and kids. Don't worry about the highs while newly diagnosed. It is better to not have hypos and slowly bring the levels down over time. My son is nearly at the 5 year mark and in that first year I was scratching my head wondering how anyone could keep blood sugar levels between 4 and 8. Well, I can't all the time but do most of the time. I haven't managed to return to work but my son also has Down syndrome. Your son should gain some knowledge and skills and be able to do a fair bit of his own management but make sure you keep track of what is going on so things don't get scary when he is a teenager. My only bit of advice is not to base decisions in life on diabetes. Besides joining the Armed Forces your son can do everything he wants but it takes a bit of planning and a backpack. To manage levels it is easiest to start counting the carbs in food and keeping records of the before and 2 hours after food blood sugar levels. What insulin regime are you using. My son in MDI (multi daily injections or basal/bolus). He has a long acting insulin (Levemir) twice a day and a short acting insulin with meals (Novorapid). Anyway, it'll get easier!!

:D :D
 
Hi

First of all - commiserations on your news. It is indeed a major shock having a child diagnosed with T1 and worse still if they have suffered DKA.

Schools vary enormously in how well they support a child with T1. My advice would be to work with them to gain their support - rather than to fight against them to achieve it.

My son was in Yr 6 at primary school when diagnosed (no DKA) and went back to school one week later (and I went back to work too). It was a very difficult time for all concerned - not least for my son who was somewhat overwhelmed by it when it became clear to him that 'this is how it is going to be' for ever more.

I have to say that four years on and although it is always there, the diabetes doesn't dominate his life in such a negative way as it did in that first year. My son is well in body and mind and is doing very nicely.

I have continued to work as before - although not progressed to working such long hours as I might have done if he had not got diabetes. I am fortunate that we got him a place at a good secondary school which is both close to our home and close to my workplace. The logistics have been a key part of being able to support him safely, but without overshadowing his life too much. He does as other teenagers do and moves freely about in the local community, just as his elder brothers did before him. Of course, his pockets always contain glucose treatments in some form or another and he normally has full ID on him, showing his medical status.

What I did not really forsee is that as he has got older, his friends have become more responsible too and this means I can be fairly sure that both at school and out-and-about, he gets consideration (and assistance when necessary) from those around him. Sleepovers and such were quite an ordeal to begin with, but repetition of challenges was the way forward for us and eventually we have got used to managing parties, sleepovers, swimming sessions, school trips etc,. I'm not sure if the invitations dried up somewhat, as he was mostly past the age of parties when diagnosed anyway.

When my son was first released from hospital, I imagined him being in and out of hospital from thereon. However, I am delighted to say that (so far) he has never been re-admitted.

Right now, my son is preparing for a short walking/activity holiday in Snowdonia with the school later this month (eeeek). Had I better forwarn the 'Helicopter Heroes' air ambulance I wonder?? :roll: Despite my fears, I am sure he will get by somehow.

Yes, everything requires military planning and there are always new hurdles to challenge us. But, on the whole my son has a very good life indeed and I do very much hope that you will find some comfort in these words at this terrible time for your family.



Take care.
:wave:
 
Hi, just a wee note from one parent of an 8 year old (diagnosed 2 years ago) to another. It is tough and hectic and you will eventually get your head around it although it really doesn't matter if you do as no 2 days bloods are the same!

My son is a "normal" 8 year old who plays football (he trains with Hibernian (we live in Scotland) 2 nights a week, trains with our local team and plays a game on Saturday mornings. Nothing gets in the way of his football. Diabetes lives with us not we live with it. He won a place in the JDRF Diabetic World Cup weeks after diagnosis and led Great Britain out of the tunnel in Geneva where they played the tournament. He always says to his doctor "don't tell me you have a cure because I want to go back to Geneva".

Things get tough but I'm sure you have dealt with lots of tough things when your other son was diagnosed Autistic - you got through it just as you will get through this.

My son went back to school the week after diagnosis and I returned to work as well but you/he return when you feel ready. Our school has been terrific - the head teacher and staff took everything on board and comply with our diabetic nurses action plan.

We wish you well.
:)
 
Hi. My daughter was diagnosed December 2011 and I feel just like you but it has already got a little easier with planning ahead. Polly is just 7. I have 2 teachers trained to give Polly her lunch injection and treat hypos. Although she's at French club after school today and I'm sat outside school just in case. I'm a worrier so my worry at the moment is so intense but again hopefully get easier. I find Polly is always low at the end of the school day and a box of raisins gets her to tea. You'll get into a routine.
 
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