In search of a mother's helper/babysitters familiar with Type 1 Diabetes in Long Beach, CA area

Parents
1

Anyone familiar with any certified resources that can help? Thanks in advance.

Maura (mom to 3-year-old diagnosed with Type 1 last week)

P.S. Also, any tips on how to get a three year old to stay still for shots/blood tests? She's starting to get a little better, but still struggling (and so are we). Thanks.

2

Hi Maura-

  I am not sure about certified resources- BUT we are lucky enough to live near three colleges that have nursing programs.  I have found that by calling the dean and or connecting with a nursing student we have had a lot of luck.  Since my son's diagnosis we have only used students.  They are eager to practice their skills and make great sitters. 

  Good luck.

Michelle

3

Try www.safesittings.com. This website was created by a teenager who is a diabetic, and most of the sitters that provide this service are also diabetics.

 

4

This is a terrific idea! I will check into it...my city has a college (my alma matter) with a large nursing program, and I saw a lot of students in pediatrics when we were there.

Thanks for your response!

Maura

5

This sounds promising - so far they don't seem to have sitters close to us but who knows what the future will hold when we actually run into a big bind. My husband, daughter and I all caught a virus, presumably from the hospital where we were at during my daughter's initial diagnosis, but thankfully we were felled in stages and my parents bailed us out today. I never thought the end of today would ever come!!

Thanks again,

Maura

6

Maura,  Hang in there!  Baby sitters can sometimes be found in area nursing students.  They are fasinated with the whole thing.  We usually planned not to include a mealtime at first and checked in every 2 hours to see how things were going.  I typed a "what to do" list with ranges of blood sugar responses and went over it before I left.  Crazy I know but I did it.  To get the shots in I had it ready to go, called it "his medicine" and was as quick as possible.  Sometimes we would use imagination conversation to make the moment pass and not ruin the mood.  Where is your favorite vacation?  What would you do if you could do anything?  Stuff to take him away while I did the hardest thing a parent has to do to keep her child alive.  I remember it all.  Reach out Hang in there and know that there are people just like you and we care.

7

Hi Maura: Some of our best babysitters we've ever found have crossed our paths at diabetes events like the JDRF walk-a-thon. The folks at our local JDRF office also helped introduce us to college teens in the area with diabetes who knew how to take care of our liitle Cassie. It was like karma- we helped by volunteering, and volunteering helped us find good care.

8

That is a great idea, I will share that info, and possible use it myself if needed.