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Hypo checklist for carers

N

Nickolas

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Family member
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi...apologies if I am posting this in the wrong place...I am new to the idea of forums but I am looking for an answer to a problem.
My wife has been diabetic for decades...I am used to the tricky task of guiding her out of hypos. Two of her sisters are diabetic too, we have had plenty of family support. Now both of my (adult) children are type 1 diabetic also and they have children of their own. One of them has, at best, an intermittent partner and the other has a partner who finds hypos frightening. Yesterday I received an early phone call from my 13-year-old grandson...in tears...telling me that his mum was "acting strange" and had "forgotten everything". A hypo for sure. They live 45 minutes drive away and my wife kept him on the phone whilst I set off to help.
Which brings me to my question. I was going to write a checklist for my grandson and for my son's partner. What to do in the event of a hypo stage by stage. Starting with "Don't panic!" and including "if all else fails dial 999" but it seems such an obvious thing to do...surely someone else has already done it and there is a pre-prepared one that I can print out? Is there such a thing? I feel very guilty for having given so little thought to what my grandson and my son's partner should do in the event of the inevitable.
 
Hi, I am thinking along the same lines, because I am in an relationship, after being on my own for over a decade. He is very caring and wants to know about type 1, so I want to put something together, but without frightening him or making him run for the hills.
So, Hypo's, Don't Panic :wideyed: could be my heading.
 
Robinredbreast said:
Hi, I am thinking along the same lines, because I am in an relationship, after being on my own for over a decade. He is very caring and wants to know about type 1, so I want to put something together, but without frightening him or making him run for the hills.
So, Hypo's, Don't Panic :wideyed: could be my heading.
Click to expand...
Without wanting to derail the thread...that's really good news...I'm really pleased for you :)
 
Hi @Nickolas :)

I wonder if part of the issue sometimes is that children/teens find it hard to judge when to 'take over'? If someone's used to their parent being in charge and the parent isn't doing anything about the hypo or hasn't mentioned feeling low, then maybe doubt sets in in the other person's mind? So in the case of your grandson, maybe a specific list and chat about the kind of things to,watch out for, and a strategy to persuade someone who may not be particularly co-operative to have some glucose? Even a practice session could help (for partners too).

If I was a child, I'd find a list written specially for me, rather than a general one, would make me more confident and less stressed in what must be a potentially upsetting situation. I'd keep it simple and precise.
 
azure said:
Hi @Nickolas :)

I wonder if part of the issue sometimes is that children/teens find it hard to judge when to 'take over'? If someone's used to their parent being in charge and the parent isn't doing anything about the hypo or hasn't mentioned feeling low, then maybe doubt sets in in the other person's mind? So in the case of your grandson, maybe a specific list and chat about the kind of things to,watch out for, and a strategy to persuade someone who may not be particularly co-operative to have some glucose? Even a practice session could help (for partners too).

If I was a child, I'd find a list written specially for me, rather than a general one, would make me more confident and less stressed in what must be a potentially upsetting situation. I'd keep it simple and precise.
Click to expand...
Hi...I entirely agree. I was about to make a customised list which would include the phone numbers of friends who could stay with my grandson until more experienced help arrived. And I also agree very much with the idea of a practice session...including administering a glucagen jab. I just thought that there might be a customisable (is that a word?) list out there somewhere...but you are right...I probably should do it myself.
 
Nickolas said:
Hi...I entirely agree. I was about to make a customised list which would include the phone numbers of friends who could stay with my grandson until more experienced help arrived. And I also agree very much with the idea of a practice session...including administering a glucagen jab. I just thought that there might be a customisable (is that a word?) list out there somewhere...but you are right...I probably should do it myself.
Click to expand...

The link provided by @1abRat , while designed for use in a hospital setting & very far down the pdf at s2.2 would be a really useful starting point to customise your own personalised step by step guide for when mum is hypo for use by your grandson.

Also, just wanted to check you weren't going to practice giving glucagon to anything other than an orange. Doing a dummy run, mixing it up & injecting it is a great idea, but it will make the recipient feel rough as & vulnerable to follow up hypos, so only practice injecting a hypo orange!
 
I also want to add that input from the diabetic person themselves can be good eg "Just ignore me if I say I'm fine but am obviously acting weirdly, and give me some Lucozade", etc.

Maybe if your grandson has noticed certain hypo type behaviours, getting him to go through them with you might help validate them and cement them in his mind, so that if he were to see any he'd be more confident to act having pre-discussed them with an adult. Just an idea - he may not need that :)
 
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