Our 5y old son refuses the injections

[Robinredbreast]

Is not the most helpful response ....

I might not be the best person to advise but in terms of it being traumatising I get where you are coming from and know that you’re also aware of the need to do it

It sounds like there are some really good suggestions already, my friend got help for her young daughter through JDRF might be worth a go? They supported by showing her how to take control of the process of injection (under supervision of course) using a teddy bear

My granddaughter was given a Rufus bear, with colourful injection sites sewn on.

 

[Geordie_P]

I have a friend who has a young T1 child. This is what she said when I asked her:

"this is something that is not negotiable. Even if he screams, it has to be done. Sometimes calmly just doing it, in a matter of fact way, has to happen. No pleading, no arguing, no treats offered. Just as you would with teeth brushing or road safety or bed times.
The amount of attention spent on trying to get him to agree can be fueling the situation. Keep your voice calm and quiet, and just do it, even if at first it has to be forced. Do not make a fuss afterwards, act like he just did something usual. No big deal or drama. Make it a low key part of his life"

This actually looks very sensible- maybe if you keep to this, things will normalize after a while

 

[EddieA12]

I fear the people that are saying ‘just do it!’ don’t have a 5 year old son. I have a son who is 4 and getting him to wash his hair in the bath can cause uncontrollable tears, so image how inserting a needle into you, after previous experiences of pain would go down!
After speaking to my mother, she told me that I was the same and that as soon as I could do it myself it all went away! I was 5 when I started injecting myself.
I’m sure the thought of a 5 year old using a needle may be a bit much, but if if understands it and can control it, that could really help. As I mentioned before, if the needle starts to go in a causes pain, then he can withdraw it and try somewhen else...

 

[Jaylee]

I have a friend who has a young T1 child. This is what she said when I asked her:

"this is something that is not negotiable. Even if he screams, it has to be done. Sometimes calmly just doing it, in a matter of fact way, has to happen. No pleading, no arguing, no treats offered. Just as you would with teeth brushing or road safety or bed times.
The amount of attention spent on trying to get him to agree can be fueling the situation. Keep your voice calm and quiet, and just do it, even if at first it has to be forced. Do not make a fuss afterwards, act like he just did something usual. No big deal or drama. Make it a low key part of his life"

I have to admit Lucy, your friend has offered up a fried slice of gold..!

I would empathise that we are all individual regarding emotions involved ruling the logic. & no parent wants to hurt thir kid.

As a kid myself just out of hospital (a week.) & getting to grips with it eased the new family dynamics in my house.. Could even connect with what my mum personally went through.
I started off under supervision drawing up my own insulin, next step my mum injected but I popped down the plunger on the glass syringe.. The hardest step was indeed pushing the needle into my leg?

OK, I just barely turned 8. As my mum said years later, I had to deal with it on my own at some point.

 

[EllieM]

OK, I just barely turned 8. As my mum said years later, I had to deal with it on my own at some point.

I was diagnosed at exactly the same age, but luckily my mother splashed out and bought disposable plastic syringes instead of the NHS glass reusable ones that she had been using. I remember being very proud that the hospital did not even get me to practice on oranges first but I was able to go straight to injecting myself. But 8 is very different to 5 in terms of rationality and understanding.

However, back on topic.
@Eddie12 has a point that injecting yourself is less painful, as you can move the needle if you hit a bad spot. Even after 50 years of self injections, I have to look away if a nurse gives me a flu jab or takes blood.
Have you tried using a freestyle libre? Not sure whether this is advisable for young children, but it could cut down the need for finger pricking significantly.

There are usually a few children every year who die of diabetic ketoacidis before they get a diabetic diagnosis and life saving insulin. I sadly suspect that during the COVID crisis this figure will go up. (This is not a criticism of your understandable desire to not traumatise your son, just an observation to try to keep things in perspective.)

I'm afraid I think that @lucylocket61 's friend is right, you can't negotiate on insulin injections, but agree that the rufus bear (supplied by JDRF) might help. They have a phone number, though I don't know whether it'll be manned in these covid times.
https://jdrf.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/

Good luck again. I cannot imagine how awful it must be to nurse a child through the very early years of diabetes. Things really should get better when he is older.

 

[Mike d]

Then please make longer sentences that will give me a chance to understand

Read the @lucylocket61 advice. You're searching for the easiest solution that suits you and your 5 year old, but perhaps not the hardest that suits your son when it's called for if the other plans fall through.

 

[lucylocket61]

I fear the people that are saying ‘just do it!’ don’t have a 5 year old son. I have a son who is 4 and getting him to wash his hair in the bath can cause uncontrollable tears, so image how inserting a needle into you, after previous experiences of pain would go down!
After speaking to my mother, she told me that I was the same and that as soon as I could do it myself it all went away! I was 5 when I started injecting myself.
I’m sure the thought of a 5 year old using a needle may be a bit much, but if if understands it and can control it, that could really help. As I mentioned before, if the needle starts to go in a causes pain, then he can withdraw it and try somewhen else...

My friend I quoted has two type 1 diabetic sons, she said thats what she did with them at that age.

 

[Adrisr]

Once again I am very thankful for your replies
To come back on a few questions:
No we dont use insulin from the fridge so it’s not too cold
We suspect potential allergy to his long lasting insulin, we are changing now so hopefully it will help
We are contacting the hospital to see if maybe a psychologist could talk to him.It would be nice if he could meet other diabetic children but these days it’s complicated.

We are trying to use a mix of the advice you gave, being kind with him but firm with no negotiation, hopefully we will find the right balance.

Thanks again

 

[lovinglife]

@Adrisr, don’t forget to remind yourselves you are doing a great job and it will eventually sort itself ! This is hard enough in normal times never mind the strange world we are living at the moment. Remember to take time for you

 

[Jaylee]

Once again I am very thankful for your replies
To come back on a few questions:
No we dont use insulin from the fridge so it’s not too cold
We suspect potential allergy to his long lasting insulin, we are changing now so hopefully it will help
We are contacting the hospital to see if maybe a psychologist could talk to him.It would be nice if he could meet other diabetic children but these days it’s complicated.

We are trying to use a mix of the advice you gave, being kind with him but firm with no negotiation, hopefully we will find the right balance.

Thanks again

Hi,

Your son one day will appreciate your parenting.
Sometimes the role reverses with parents & the child in the advanced years.. Now that's another chapter.