My (almost) 8 year old daughter has had Type 1 for 4 years now and her moods are clearly related to when her glucose levels change. When she is high... she gets SO irritated and angry (which is actually how I knew she had pre-diabetes). It's very sad because I know she cannot really control it. She has been through so much the past three years as well (her father and I divorced and I remarried) and other things that I know can cause extra external stress on her.
All I know to do is PRAY and keep her numbers where they can be the best I know how... any other advice?
I often describe high blood sugars feeling like you're hung over... they make a person tired, dehydrated, irritable, intolerant of bright light and loud sounds. It feels terrible so it doesn't surprise me that your daughter isn't her usual self when blood sugars are high.
Only think you can really do is avoid the highs and make sure she drinks lots of water. If you notice a pattern to the highs (like it always happens at a certain time of day or after eating certain foods) then contact your doctor for advice.
thank you so much, jenna. it helps so much to actually hear from type 1s who can describe how they are feeling. she really can't at her younger age. she can definitely describe her lows, but not her highs. a serious disrespectful attitude can come out on her part, and i have to have discernment as to when to discipline or when to wait it out and realize it's just her numbers.
I have a 13-year old whose moods are difficult to deal with just because she is a teenage girl! I agree, if her BG is not in range, and I ask her to do something, you never know what kind of response to expect. But, I will say, when I know that her #'s are high, I try to STAY AWAY until her correction has settled her down. I try to get her to walk the dog with me after a correction bolus to help the insulin work faster, and I will say it is a HUGE difference. What's even tougher is trying to explain it to my younger son that his sister is not intentionally being mean, it's just her diabetes causing her to be irritable. She's a great kid and she will always apologize when she gets back into range. It's a complete transformation.