Query re teenager pls

[SamSam26]

Hi all, been away for a while. My son was diagnosed a year ago, now aged 14. He is becoming very withdrawn and moody and I am trying hard to give him space and not remind him or check up on his sugars and stuff as it clearly annoys him. I am worried though - today he refused to eat, check sugars or take insulin until after 5pm. This is happening more and more often. He says he knows his body, and if he doesn't eat he doesn't need insulin. He has been running high lately, and fibbed to clinic about testing ketones (I have discreetly updated them since). Last hypo he claimed to have tested and restested - checked his monitor - nothing. Do I continue with a light touch? Am I over-worrying? Or do I need to weigh in? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm outside looking in so don't know what to do for the best. Thank you.

 

[azure]

That's a very, very hard one. It must be difficult getting that balance between concern and being seen to 'nag'. Only you know your son, so you'll have to think what might work, but if it was my child, if think 14 was old enough to be calmly told some facts - not in a scolding way at all, but in a mature way, showing him that you think he's grown up enough to handle it.

First tell him why he needs insulin even if he doesn't eat. That's important. Maybe go over the dangers of DKA and complications, but in a 'chatty', calm way not a nagging way. Then give him a chance to speak without judging him whatever he says. Listen to him and take on board his thoughts even if they sound silly or immature.

 

[izzyj09]

When I was a teenager, I for a while did the same thing, and it took my mum to sit down and chat to me about why I was doing this and only then did I actually explain why this was happening (people being idiots at school). So I would encourage you to talk to him, but let him speak and explain stuff. If that doesn't work then maybe you could ask for another person to talk to him like a friendly nurse or doctor ! I think the most important thing is to let him speak, and you to encourage that ! Hope that helps x

 

[monkey1997]

I was diagnosed around 6 months ago and being a teenager myself i can understand him being moody or withdrawn as it is such a big change and very hard to deal with , it probably upsets him seeing all of his friends/family being able to eat what they want without worrying about insulin and carbohydrate counting , and the injections are not the most pleasant , especially at such a young age. i myself went through a very similar thing and refused to do my insulin or check my blood sugar hoping if i forgot about it that it would go away , i found what helped me most was talking to other diabetics of a similar age , it helps you view it is being more normal and you can see how other people are coping and i think that helps a lot. try not to push him too hard as he is probably dealing with a lot with it already but maybe try and encourage him a bit more and help him be more positive towards it

 

[SamSam26]

Thank you all for your advice - much appreciated. Monkey1997 your comments are really helpful and it sounds like you are coping well yourself. IzzyJ and Azure - good tips too. He won't go to any of the 'meets' or things like that but maybe I could persuade him to have a look at these forums. As a parent you want to just keep them safe but I don't want to alienate him. I figured out how to use his monitor so I could check discreetly now and then without being obvious. Think I preferred not knowing..... He is skipping morning bloods every school morning for about the last month. Will see how we go...