Hi, my name is Julie and my 12 yo daughter, Hanna, was dx Oct 15 with TD1. I am struggling to let her do the same things she did pre-dx. I don't want her to feel like this disease is punishing her more than it already is. For example, tonight she wants to go to the movies with her friends, which she has done in the past. How can I let her go now without worrying about her getting a low blood sugar and getting into trouble? Not that her BS's are all that low right now, but they have started coming down into the low 100's. Can someone please give me some advice?
I know this feeling all too well. My daughter (12yr old) was diagnosed 2 years ago right before Halloween. It was confusing, terrifying, and really uncomfortable to let her out of my site, and it still makes me uneasy. One thing I've found helpful is to make sure she has everything she needs with her at all times, and that she understands what to do if she gets a low blood sugar. Go through the scenarios with her. Does she have a cell phone? I got one for my girl right after diagnosis. I told her that if she wants to be independent and still be able to do the things she used to, she needs to be super good at communicating with me. If I text her and tell her to check her blood sugar, she'd better do it!! It also helps to sit down with her friends/friends' parents to explain the situation. Everyone around her should be aware of the basic needs of your daughter.
I'm so sorry that you and your family have to deal with this stuff. Please know that you are not alone, and everyone here is very willing to help.
Also~ I want to point out that I wrote 'site' instead of 'sight' in my recent post on accident. This is a result of T1D becoming part of my world in so many ways!
Sorry! Pushed the wrong button! My daughter is 11 yrs old and going on two years of dx. You will always worry about her. To ease my mind, I make sure she has her meter, a couple of juice boxes and a snack. She always carries her cell phone, too, and she texts me if she has a low. Does your daughter recognize a low if she has one? Is there another adult that goes with her and her friends? Most ofmy daughter’s friends help her when she is low, too. Eg. Get her juice box ready. Good luck and always follow your instincts.
Hello, my name is Brad, after dealing with T1D for 28 years my 6 year old daughter was dx 2 days before her birthday. That was 2 years ago and she is doing great. she is 9 now and is starting to get more independant. (A scary thing for any parent) The only true "advice" I can offer is this. Education. As long as she has her tools and knows how to use them she will be ok. Having people around her that are educated as well goes a long way to help her stay in control. I've had to educate a lot of folks since my daughters dx. Some times it can be frustrating. Other times it can be rewarding. Just some of those ups and downs diabetes throws at us.
But I've found that educated folks are far more helpful and more pleasant to be around. I still educate every day. One fellow I work with listened, went to see his doc, and was dx with type 2. He was so thankful to me for my hammering on him that he and I are now close friends that keep an eye on each other. Life is good again for us both and I thank God every day for the day. Diabetes will wear a person out. And it is good to have folks around me that understand. Education is the only way to stay in control.