Hi My 7 yr old was just diagnosed 10 days ago with T1D. We have no family history of diabetes and like most are completely shocked. I knew something was wrong when she started to wet the bed and go to the bathroom constantly and drank way more… she is a trooper. She is checking her own sugars and picks the site to inject. It been hard on whole family and she is very angry. Very short fused over the littlest thing. Assuming this is normal? Such an emotional roller-coaster. She has been running very high and the last few days has been much lower. Her diabetes nurse changed the carb rations. At lunch, i checked her BS and she was 67. These numbers are so new and scary. She drank juice and came back up. Hard to not freak out in your head!! We have an appointment this week. I have so many questions for this visit. We are still learning and finding some useful resources. Glad to have found this site.
Hi Jamie @JBabineau23,
I feel for you and can very easily understand your frustrations. Yes, you are learning and will continue to learn different “ins & outs” about T1 for many years; now in my 60th year I continue to learn how different things, such as foods, activity and emotions affect how I feel and cause my body glucose levels to fluctuate. It is probably normal for your daughter to be angry and at some point to go into denial - I’ve seen it in others and been there myself.
The numbers by themselves aren’t really the whole thing, but they do give you guidance and warning - please remember when talking WITH your daughter that no single number is either “good” or “bad”; you are not giving her a “pass / fail” school exam. Please look at the entire picture - your daughter is a real, living human being, she is not a machine like an automobile where you fill the gas tank and can expect to drive 318 miles without any thought before you think of refilling the tank. That may be a little extreme, but remember that you don’t feel exactly the same every day of the week when you pop out of bed at 6 AM. A few of your specific observations:
It is not surprising that you / she does not have any close relative with Type One Diabetes; remember that T1 is caused by a malfunction of her immune system often is not passed from parent to child except in relatively few cases; I’ve met identical twins and only one of them had diabetes. I was number four of eight and none of my sisters or brothers developed T1.
Certainly this is affecting your whole family. May I suggest that you do not OPENLY treat her differently than her brothers or sisters. Let her be fully a child like the others but CERTAINLY keep your eyes open and offer her guidance.
Changes in blood sugar levels can cause [even without seeing the meter readings] changes in emotions and behavior - my kids and grandkids can tell by my personality changes when my sugar levels are out of whack, especially as my blood sugar is dropping.
You did exactly what you should have done when she was 67 - and at times when she is low like that, or especially when she might be a lot lower, she may be in denial that she “needs some juice”; just ask my wife of 50 years. When treating a low like that, I recommend that you do not over-treat with too much juice - do it incrementally; and if she will not be having a meal soon include some more complex carbs. This you will be better to gage as time goes on.
Keep asking questions. I hope I was not too overbearing in my response.
Dennis
Hello,
My daughter was diagnosed at age 9, she is 11 now. We made many calls to our nurse and doctor team, almost daily if needed. This was helpful as we learned about ratios and insulin usage. Our daughter did get upset with the injections and the changes in her life. But as the family together worked to help and learn with everything, you will learn to provide her with accurate treatment. Attending newly diagnosed groups online in your area and at your hospital are very helpful. The little Calorie King book for counting carbs we live by and that has always been a helpful resource for carb counting with her diet since day one.
Let her know she is not the only kid with Type 1. Look and attend a local JDRF Walk, she will see thousands of other kids there working and walking together.
Thanks. We use the calorie king book too. I guess one advantage now a days is online. Some places post nutrition facts to their sites too.
No not at all Dennis. Thanks for the information. I really appreciate it.
Jamie
Hi, Jamie. My seven year old was diagnosed with T1D this past July 1, 2016. She had similar symptoms plus weight loss and she too has chosen to take the same types of responsibilities. She also will get testy sometimes. At first she wasn’t phased by the news but within a day she admitted that she was disappointed that she has the disease which broke my heart. I don’t want the disease to change her- she’s so amazing. We are a very positive and proactive family so we will all be fine and are making the adjustment well. The more time that goes by since she was diagnosed, the less scary and more usual it all becomes. Just know that you are not alone and writing to you makes me feel better. I hope it’s helping you too. Thanks.