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Explaining my diabetes to kids.

K

Katee

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Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone had come across a book to explain my type 1 diabetes to my son. Explaining injections, hypos etc.

I have come across a couple of books aimed at young children with diabetes but none to explain to a child about someone else who has diabetes.

Any tips on what age to begin explaining to my son, and how you went about it would be great!

Thanks!
 
Hi I have 2 kids and I found the best thing to do was let my kids see me injecting myself and talk to them about why I take it and explain the reason why I take it. I then moved onto what to do if I'm unwell hypo gel and if things get really bad phone for help
Hope this helps
Stuart


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Thanks Stuart!

Its my first child...he's still only 5 months but I have just been thinking about it lately...how would I explain this to him!?

I am probably over thinking it haha...as you say he'll see me taking injections so I can take it from there.

:D
 
Hi katee I have a 9month old and a 2year old, both are abit too young to understand but my 2year old loves playing with ny blood sugar monitor. As soon as he shows more understanding I will teach him how to ring 999 if "mummy is asleep" can't think of another way of putting it yet, he isn't really aware of when I go hypo yet but in time I hope he will try and help etc. Kids can be great with this sort of stuff. My friend who
Also has type 1 has a child who was on the news for ringing an ambulance when she passed out with it, I think he was about 4 at the time x
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Hi Katee,

Sounds like he will grow up knowing all there is to know about your diabetes without much explanation !

I was diagnosed a year ago and my daughter is now 4, so she's learnt along with me about my condition. On the whole diabetes is pretty much matter of fact to her, she knows when i'm not right that it's my blood sugars being funny and she's been with me on many a hypo episode (always out shopping !) She's great with me as will sit with me while I sort myself out and is patient too, my best hypo buddy. She also knows it's because I need sugar, and she knows what I need to have and where to find out, we havent tested out the 999 route yet and I pray we will never have to, but I will sit down with her at some point to explain this. If anything it's taught me to really be on top of my condition and manage it well.

Luckily children adapt quickly and learn quickly too, i'm sure you will have no problems explaining this to your son.

More than anything though this makes me feel sad about the children who develop type 1 and so any support I can offer JDRF is important as i'd much rather have this than my daughter.

Good luck :thumbup:
 
hi, don't worry to much about it your kid will think it normal.i have a 5 yr old and he is great with my diabetes and epilepsy.he knows if am low to get lucozade or get my test kit,like most kids likes to help with the testing.i just told him, explained as much as you can,you help them when there not well and you might need there help.they take it in there stride,he went through a stage where he wanted to talk about what i did when i was low or had a fit,i think it was more upsetting for me than him.it will be fine .don't worry.
 
My kids were 3 and 6 when I was diagnosed. We found a couple fo books in the library about children with diabetes. I never did find anything about parents though. In our library the parenting section has some childrens books on the lines of Johny goes to the Dentist, Mabel starts school etc and thats where I found the books.

Also someone posted yesterday that the CBeebies show "Get Well Soon" has just done an episode where one of the characters is diagnosed Type 1. It didn't cover hypos or anything but had an explaination of why we need insulin and the character had a finger prick test and jab (did laugh a bit at the pen being used upside down) It's on iPlayer
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01p6n1n/Get_Well_Soon_Sugar_Sweet/

We also found a game where you have to take care of a dog with diabetes, feeding and injecting him.
http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/m ... sulin.html
 
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