Getting ready for university

[Gosia Hazell]

My son doesn't wake for hypos or hypers or alarms, he would love to go to uni next September and we are working towards that goal. Can anyone offer advice? As a student what are your tips? Mums and dads out there... how do I get through this?

 

[Fairygodmother]

Don’t really know what to advise if he doesn’t wake for alarms. The alarms on LibreLink are pretty loud; has he had a hearing test?

 

[In Response]

I suppose there are two problems - not waking for the alarms but also why he is going high or low.
Maybe the approach could be to reduce these and give you confidence that your son will be ok at university (as well as when he leaves home).

Given the recent update to the NICE guidelines, is this the time to push his diabetes team for Hybrid Closed Loop pumping solution?

 

[Pipp]

I will leave the advice on managing the T1 hypos and hypers to those more knowledgeable in these matters, @Gosia Hazell .

What I would advise regarding choice of university is that you encourage him to visit any universities he thinks he would like, and have lengthy chats with the student support services, well in advance of applying or accepting a place. They should have systems in place to provide for his unique , individual needs, with grant applications to pay for support and he ought to have an assessment of his needs. It can take quite a while to get support in place. It is funded by the local authority of the student’s home address, and some take longer than others.

 

[Jaylee]

My son doesn't wake for hypos or hypers or alarms, he would love to go to uni next September and we are working towards that goal. Can anyone offer advice? As a student what are your tips? Mums and dads out there... how do I get through this?

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

As someone who has been through school then college living away from home I had no issues waking with hypos.
Waking with hypos for me have taken a little longer to realise “something” is wrong. Weird Trigger dreams on the whole do it for me.

Since the advent of CGM set ups. I personally can wake to an alarm, but I ignore it (still sleepy. Unless it the alarm set for work.) But I am awake when I feel the hypo 10 minutes later? (The CGM gives advance warning for me.
It’s easy to think “oh come on.” At 3am. Then “snooze” the alarm.. But I am aware of what’s possibly impending.

Unless it’s possibly a compression low? Then I’m compelled to grab my meter…

Has your son needed 3rd party help treating hypos when they occur?

I wish him all the best with Uni.

 

[Billy H]

My son doesn't wake for hypos or hypers or alarms, he would love to go to uni next September and we are working towards that goal. Can anyone offer advice? As a student what are your tips? Mums and dads out there... how do I get through this?

Does your son use a CGM such as Freestyle or Dexcom? If yes, he can add you so you get notifications on your mobile. The you can call him (providing his phone isn't on silent).

 

[Jaylee]

Does your son use a CGM such as Freestyle or Dexcom? If yes, he can add you so you get notifications on your mobile. The you can call him (providing his phone isn't on silent).

Indeed, I got a follower app on my iPad from my Android phone for the Libre. (For the heck of it really.)

Even a missed signal alarm comes up occasionally. So in theory, a phone call to scan it & reconnect.
Or in my case. Put down the tablet, pick up the phone..