Further concerns re my toddler

[ExtremelyW0rried]

hi
I know I've posted before and generally the consensus was that I was overreacting re my toddler daughter but I felt even then that her numbers were not right for a toddler.
I stopped checking her blood sugars and left her be but Friday evening she ate a lot of carbs (90g maybe over a few hours) she had her milk about 8pm and went to bed but I though I would randomly check her as she'd eaten so much. Two and a half hours after she had last had her milk her blood sugar was still at 8mmol. It was definitely correct as I checked it twice on two different meters. In fact I got an 8mmol and an 8.4mmol so 8 is the more optimistic reading.
My feeling is that she is on the path to t1 diabetes but I have no idea how long it might take to get there. I know it isn't usually picked up as early as this and people will probably tell me it could still be normal but even if I look at this objectively two and a half hours after eating no one should have a blood sugar of 8mmol if their pancreas is functioning normally. Given her two generational t1 history it seems likely this is the start.
For now I'm just being vigilant to symptoms. Obviously I don't know what her blood sugar reached at an hour but if it was still elevated at two and a half hours I'm guessing it could have been as high as 11mmol in between.
Any advice? Just watch her for symptoms? Has anyone had or knows anyone who experienced similar and wants to take a wild guess at how long it will take for frank diabetes to develop? I suppose it's all very individual.

 

[Granny_grump_]

hi
I know I've posted before and generally the consensus was that I was overreacting re my toddler daughter but I felt even then that her numbers were not right for a toddler.
I stopped checking her blood sugars and left her be but Friday evening she ate a lot of carbs (90g maybe over a few hours) she had her milk about 8pm and went to bed but I though I would randomly check her as she'd eaten so much. Two and a half hours after she had last had her milk her blood sugar was still at 8mmol. It was definitely correct as I checked it twice on two different meters. In fact I got an 8mmol and an 8.4mmol so 8 is the more optimistic reading.
My feeling is that she is on the path to t1 diabetes but I have no idea how long it might take to get there. I know it isn't usually picked up as early as this and people will probably tell me it could still be normal but even if I look at this objectively two and a half hours after eating no one should have a blood sugar of 8mmol if their pancreas is functioning normally. Given her two generational t1 history it seems likely this is the start.
For now I'm just being vigilant to symptoms. Obviously I don't know what her blood sugar reached at an hour but if it was still elevated at two and a half hours I'm guessing it could have been as high as 11mmol in between.
Any advice? Just watch her for symptoms? Has anyone had or knows anyone who experienced similar and wants to take a wild guess at how long it will take for frank diabetes to develop? I suppose it's all very individual.

Have you been to see a doctor yet with your child,if I was this concerned it would be the first place I'd go!k

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

Yes.
They aren't concerned (in that they can't do anything I suppose) until she is consistently over 11mmol after eating or over 6mmol fasting.

But this is the same dr who also told me toddlers don't get diabetes.

 

[Jaylee]

hi
I know I've posted before and generally the consensus was that I was overreacting re my toddler daughter but I felt even then that her numbers were not right for a toddler.
I stopped checking her blood sugars and left her be but Friday evening she ate a lot of carbs (90g maybe over a few hours) she had her milk about 8pm and went to bed but I though I would randomly check her as she'd eaten so much. Two and a half hours after she had last had her milk her blood sugar was still at 8mmol. It was definitely correct as I checked it twice on two different meters. In fact I got an 8mmol and an 8.4mmol so 8 is the more optimistic reading.
My feeling is that she is on the path to t1 diabetes but I have no idea how long it might take to get there. I know it isn't usually picked up as early as this and people will probably tell me it could still be normal but even if I look at this objectively two and a half hours after eating no one should have a blood sugar of 8mmol if their pancreas is functioning normally. Given her two generational t1 history it seems likely this is the start.
For now I'm just being vigilant to symptoms. Obviously I don't know what her blood sugar reached at an hour but if it was still elevated at two and a half hours I'm guessing it could have been as high as 11mmol in between.
Any advice? Just watch her for symptoms? Has anyone had or knows anyone who experienced similar and wants to take a wild guess at how long it will take for frank diabetes to develop? I suppose it's all very individual.

Hi @ExtremelyW0rried ,

Not necessarily? Milk can be like "liquid pizza". The reading of of "8" may well have been the summit...

Let me tag in @catapillar @therower & @Scott-C

By the way.. How did your husband get on with his suspected T2 check up?

 

[Deleted Account]

For someone so young, type 1 would come on very quickly: in days or weeks rather than months.
That would come with excess thirst, lots of toilet visits (or wet bed), etc.
Take a look at http://www.diabetes.co.uk/type1-diabetes-symptoms.html to familiarise yourself with the symptoms so you don’t need to keep pricking her finger.

But, as @Granny_grump_ mentions, only a doctor can tell you whether you have cause for concern.

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

Husband is ok! Well we assume. His fasting was normal.

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

No type 1 comes on pretty slowly in some cases

Once symptomatic then yes it is fast

I haven't checked her again since. I've just kept an eye out for thirst etc. She seemed more thirsty Friday evening which was the other reason I checked her.

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

A reading of 8mmol two hours after a gtt would give a pre diabetes diagnosis, except pre diabetes doesn't really exist with t1.

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

I'm planning to contact the GP again tomorrow. Actually maybe not the GP, maybe the paediatric dsn. I've spoken with her before and she was very helpful.

I just wondered if people had seen numbers like this themselves and how long it had taken for things to deteriorate.

 

[Robinredbreast]

My granddaughter was aged 2 1/2 years when diagnosed with type 1,

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

Yes obviously it's rubbish that toddlers aren't diagnosed. I knew that, it just made me slightly dubious of any other information she gave me!

 

[Jaylee]

I'm planning to contact the GP again tomorrow. Actually maybe not the GP, maybe the paediatric dsn. I've spoken with her before and she was very helpful.

I just wondered if people had seen numbers like this themselves and how long it had taken for things to deteriorate.

With many childhood diagnosis of diabetes.. (Or adult for that matter.) access to home monitoring with a BS meter is rarely available, or even thought of prior.? Why would you.. Other than something like a thermometer, sticky plasters & Calpol..
It's only when the syptoms arise that an apointment & GP diagnosis happens..
The reality is, you'd probably be hard pushed to find somebody logging their BS consistently prior to finding out they were diabetic..

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

Yes that's true. I know some trial net famillies maybe do if they find out they have children who are antibody positive.
Trial net show three stages of developing type 1 but don't give a timeline.

I can't do trial net with her for another year.

 

[catapillar]

Two and a half hours after she had last had her milk her blood sugar was still at 8mmol.

A random blood sugar of over 11.1 suggests diabetes. A random blood sugar of 8 is NORMAL.

I checked it twice on two different meters. In fact I got an 8mmol and an 8.4mmol so 8 is the more optimistic reading.

As has been mentioned before, you are completely unnecessarily and repeatedly subjecting your perfectly healthy infant daughter to stabbing her finger with a needle. This isn't for her health, it is doing nothing more than indulging your anxieties.

Please stop it. You are well aware of diabetes symptom, if she shows symptom then test. If she is not showing symptoms, leave her poor fingers alone.

Any advice? Just watch her for symptoms? Has anyone had or knows anyone who experienced similar and wants to take a wild guess at how long it will take for frank diabetes to develop? I suppose it's all very individual.

You have had your daughter checked for diabetes by doctors and told she doesn't have it. Are you having your anxieties treated? You want your daughter to be ill - you seem intent and fixated on her getting diabetes, for no good reason. You seem intent on subjecting her to unnecessary tests, for no good reason. All you are doing by testing her blood sugar is inflaming your own anxieties. You've convinced yourself she has diabetes, when SHE DOESNT. Stop testing her and focus on treating your own anxieties, your behaviour isn't healthy for you and it isn't healthy, or kind to, you daughter.

 

[paulus1]

you did wash her hands. yes iknow its a stupid question. why are you testing a toddler. is she symptomatic.

• Random blood sugar test. This is the primary screening test for type 1 diabetes. A blood sample is taken at a random time. Regardless of when your child last ate, a random blood sugar level of 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 11.1 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), or higher suggests diabetes.
• Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. This test indicates your child's average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. Specifically, the test measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells (hemoglobin). An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates diabetes.
• Fasting blood sugar test. A blood sample is taken after your child fasts overnight. A fasting blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or higher indicates type 1 diabetes.

so your testing after food what was it before. what is the morning reading.

What blood sugar targets should I aim for?

The general target ranges for blood sugar levels are 4–7mmol/l on waking, 4–7mmol/l before meals at other times of the day, and 5–9mmol/l two hours after meals, but your diabetes team may suggest individual targets for your child. Although you shouldn’t expect to achieve these targets all the time, aiming for them will help your child to keep good control of their diabetes.
why are you worried. at the moment you should be happy she does not have it. a random jabbing after food is pointless.

 

[lucylocket61]

hi
I
I stopped checking her blood sugars and left her be but Friday evening she ate a lot of carbs (90g maybe over a few hours) she had her milk about 8pm and went to bed but I though I would randomly check her as she'd eaten so much. Two and a half hours after she had last had her milk her blood sugar was still at 8mmol. It was definitely correct as I checked it twice on two different meters. In fact I got an 8mmol and an 8.4mmol so 8 is the more optimistic reading.

I am just wondering what she ate which consisted of 90g or carbs or more over a few hours? and then milk, which is also carb containing.

My son, who is 23 years old and definitely not diabetic, can go to 8-9 after pizza after 3 hours.

I cant help wondering if you are giving her lots of carbs in one go to try and make diabetes happen.

 

[paulus1]

i was trying to avoid that view. the op is clearly a worried mum. even in this case un needfully its still real feelings. we need to know why she feels the toddler is at risk. does anyone else have diabetes in her family if so what type and when did it come on. does mum have any support at home. i know being by yourself can make your worry levels rise.

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

Is the implication I was force feeding her?!
No it's just how she is. She barely eats some days and others she eats a lot.

She'd had pizza (40g ish) and then some cheese on toast and some fruit, then she announced she was still hungry so had a yoghurt and some more fruit. Then her milk.

Yesterday she ate next to nothing. It's just how she is. Today she might eat more.

I would love to be wrong. If you look on the t2 forum people get very stressed over sugars as high as 8mmol after two hours of eating.

 

[Fruitella]

Hi, I would like to know if your own Type 1 is well controlled and you are to cope with diabetes in a positive manner. This would surely be the aim to give your daughter a positive message on how a full and exciting life can be lived without sending her what seems to me to be negative messages.
Perhaps you could agree with your own medical team that THEY would do just one finger prick test a few times a year and let you and your daughter get on with living life without this cloud hanging over you.

I noticed you said your daughter seemed particularly thirsty on Friday. If this was after eating pizza and cheese on toast then that would seem to be pretty normal to me.

 

[ExtremelyW0rried]

Yes my diabetes is well controlled but it's a struggle. Imagine the struggle in managing it in a toddler. Virtually impossible.
It's a 24/7 job and I still have lows and highs like everyone else with t1. I will be strongly advising my children not to have children and risk passing this on any further. It's a life sentence and that's if you're lucky.
It's stopped me doing plenty of things and made most other things difficult. How can you be positive about something that is so miserable with no end in sight?