My 16 month old son was diagnosed 3 months ago. I am struggling. The doc keeps saying that we are doing the best we can but his blood sugars are all over the place, mostly high, over 300-400 most of the time and I can't stand it. He is so cranky! Has anyone else dealt with this? What can I do? Is this really the best we can do? What about switching to a pump, would he have better control at his age? Thanks so much, Amber
I can't even imagine a 13 month old. I am so sorry. I wish there was something I could say but I too am a stay at home mom with a 2, 1 , and 4 month old. Caden mt 2 year old was diagnosed in Jan right after he turned 2 almost 6 months ago. I have also changed everyones diet but this is exhausting. We have ended the honeymoon phase and his sugar is all over the place. Last week his meter would not even read the number which meant it was well over 600. The mood swings are so unbelievable. I don't know how I am going to make it through the toddler years. I cry so much nobody even realizes. I worry for him so much I dont like him out of my sight. We are thinking about the pump as well but I don't know. I hear great things and then I hear horrible things that we might just do a trial run with it. I would love to talk more. Thank you!!
Amber, the NEWS alone of a Type-1 diabetes diagnosis is enough to cause major stress. The day to day management of your son's diabetes is another layer of stress on top of that. These first few months are really tough to figure out what you need to do, how you need to do it and when. Unfortunately, there's no formula for care - each person's diabetes has its own quirks and takes alot of figuring out to get into manageable control. But I know in time you'll be able to figure it out for your son as my wife and I were able to with our daughter when she was 18 months old. Maybe a pump **would** help. Maybe switching his insulin or diet could do it. You just need to keep experimenting, and not be afraid to try new things. It's the only way.
I know one thing for sure..
It's clear from your post that you care and love him enough to solve the puzzle, and I'm sure in time you will be the expert of HIS diabetes and figure out the best way to keep him in good BG control - more than even his doctors.
I totally know what you are going through. My daughter was diagnosed at 18 months old. I felt like I was never in control of her BG, and she was crabby all the time. (Turns out that sometimes her crabbyness is just her personality.) I remember it helped alot when another mother in my support group told me not to focus too much on the day to day BG, but the averages. When I started looking at her averages more closly I discovered we were doing pretty well. The first couple months are really hard though. I remember it took about a year to get my daughters A1C down to where it was suppose to be. Also with our kids being so young, their blood sugar can be all over the place, because they are going through so many changes and growing so much. My daugher is 4 now and she will be getting a pump in July. We have pretty good control right now, but I think the pump will help even more. (To be honest with you, I wish we would have started the pump earlier. Just my opinion though.) I am also looking for to not having to inject my daughter so many times a day. Our hosp. let us do a pump try on, to see how out daughter would feel having a pump on her. We are getting the OmniPod (no tubing).
my youngest son was diagnosised at 16 months also it has been almost a year now and his numbers are still all over the place. I would advise to maybe wait on the pump. we pushed and pushed for our oldest son to get it (the Omnipod) and she was leary of doing it. At 6 months out he started on the pump and because he was a very thin 3 year old we had a little trouble . now he is doing great but it is a struggle on the little ones. Mikey is on the OmniPod and his dad is on the Accucheck spirt and the omnipod is hands down the better of the two
Hi, Amber-our now 10 year old son was diagnosed at 11 months. He is now 10, and I do remember what you are now going through. You are doing the best you can for your son! That is the most important thing to remember. Our son Aaron's bloodsugar was pretty much like your son's, and I can't lie, there were some very stressful and trying times. But we made it through. He was on multiple injections for the first couple of years or so, then they came out with Lantus, and we did that for a couple of years. Then Aaron went on the pump about a month before his 4th birthday. I really can't say enough positive things about the pump. Six years ago, kids under 4 that were on the pump were pretty rare. Our pediatric endocrinologist wasn't even sure that 4 wasn't too young back then. In my opinion, I would say to wait a little while before trying the pump, but that's just my opinion and many might disagree. If you need advice, I will try and help in any way I can. It does get easier!
Thank you all so much. It feels good to meet some people who have been through this. I haven't really been able to connect with anyone who has a child that was diagnosed at such a young age. I appreciate the encouragement and advice from everyone.
My baby was 2 when she was diagnosed a year and a half ago. I know how you feel, I cried every day and night for 3 months. I still cry every once in a while but I have to say, things are much much better. I felt like my life revolved around diabetes, finger pokes, snacks and a constant schedule of eating. It was really depressing. Im a single mother with another child to care for and I didnt know how I was going to make it through. The key to getting your life (and sanity) back is to educate yourself. Read as many books as you can and just take it one day at a time. If you have a "bad sugar day" one day, just try to have a better "sugar day" tomarrow. That really is all you can do.
My baby is 4 now and is on a pump. It is a lot of work, but well worth it!! I love her pump! It was hard at first but things are better than ever now. Her blood sugars are in good control for now, but we just have to take one day at a time. The book that helped me the most was called "SWEET KIDS."
Stop thinking about the pump and give it a try! You will be happy about the flexibility of the pump as he gets closer to school age. Caden's age makes it tough - his BG numbers are effected each time he goes thru a growth spurt. Puberty will be the same - take my word for it. It does get easier, I promise! My son (diagnosed in kindergarten and now in middle school) now manages his own BG tests and is learning to calculate his own insulin needs in order to bolus on the pump. You always worry (we are Mom's -its our job) work to not let him be defined by the diabetes. Don't be afraid to let him be a child first. I had to find that resolve to recognize "it is what it is" and move on to a new normal. It will get easier. And its ok to cry sometimes, it's a grieving process because this is not how you thought it would be for him. But I have to admit my son proves to me daily that this condition doesn't slow him down, not when he's skiing or running cross country or swimming or anything!
And do not allow a high BG to excuse his behavior. It's a tough one, but you have to maintain limits for him regardless - it will help him to learn to cope.
Please be patient. It will get better!
Just wondering if you're doing better now. I see that you wrote this back on June 4th so a lot of time has gone by. My daughter was diagnosed when she was 2. The doctor put her on shots. I have wore a pump myself for about 10 years now. I did a few months of shots with her and I got sick of it really quick. To me it was like going back 100 years and giving my daughter an old medical treatment when better technology was available. I got so tired of chasing my little girl around the house to give her shots and having to lay on tope of her to hold her down to give her the shot. I felt so bad for her knowing there was better technology available and here I was giving her this painful, old fashioned method just because the doctor said it made HIM more comfortable (he didn't have any patients that young on a pump). You almost have to do numb when it's injection time so you can just give her the shot and be done. If she would sense any hesitation or fear in my face that would escalate her fear. It was always important to just do it (give her the shot) and not hesitate. I went to her doctor and said enough is enough and that I wanted her on a pump. He said he wants her to be on shots for a year first but I kept pushing the issue. I contacted the pump company, got the info on a child her age on a pump (they said babies, toddlers can be on one). It was my daughter, it was her pain, it was her and I having to play cat & mouse all over the house to give her the injections. You are your child's advocate. Sometimes you have to be the Mama Bear to get your child what they need. Putting in the injection site was tough - still have to chase her. BUT it's one injection when putting in the the set every 3 days vs. multiple shots a day. It was so much easier managing her diabetes when on a pump. I didn't have to wake her up to give her a shot in the middle of the night to lower her bg - I just had to push some buttons. I hope your little one is doing better - it will get easier and you'll develop more confidence in your ability as a mom to take care of your child.