Hi, my daughter was Resented diagnose with T1D. She was diagnose in may 2, 2019 we are still getting adjust. For how long is the 2am checks?
Hello @Yani2008 welcome to TypeOneNation. The 2 or 3 am checks are important when you don’t have a good feel for if your child’s blood sugar is dropping overnight. When you get more used to this whole thing, these overnight blood sugars will be a little more predictable.
Since nothing with diabetes is easy, you kind of have to do them a long time to develop that sense. There may be technology to help you such as a CGM. I hope you have a great endocrinologist to work with and to discuss these questions with. Take care.
Hi @Yani2008. I understand you’re concerned as a parent. Just wanted to let you know, I was 3 years old when I was diagnosed in the early 1960s. BG meters didn’t come out until around the time I graduated from college, and CGMs many years later.
I learned at a very early age that when I felt funny it meant I needed a snack, and I suppose the change in sensation woke me up so I could call out if I needed help. You didn’t say how old your child is, but if s/he is very young, in addition to the 2am census perhaps using a baby monitor overnight would help alert you if they need you, and help with peace of mind.
I’m a big advocate for CGMs and love my Dexcom, but don’t know your child’s age or age guidelines for the devices so do check with your endo to see if they are an option. The readings are updated every 5 minutes, and you can set alerts to let you know if they are low or high.
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@Yani2008 Graciela, what are you learning from the 2 AM checks? What are they telling you about your daughter’s [or your] diabetes management?
BG Checks are used as “indicators” of a person’s balance between food, activity and insulin - a delicate balance that can at times disappear for some unknown reason; there being many reasons, such as infection, stress, etc. that also affect body glucose levels of a person with - or without - diabetes.
If the 2 AM BG checks you are regularly doing for your daughter are not telling you anything they could be eliminated unless she is an infant. If she is always “low” at two AM, a remedy would be to reduce the insulin that affects that time of day; your daughter’s doctor or a good diabetes educator could help educate you and your daughter on this management tool. As Dorie @wadawabbit said, 40, 50, 60, 70 years ago digital glucose meters/monitors weren’t even dreams; we listened to our bodies. I didn’t begin doing 2 AM / 3 AM BG Checks until after I had diabetes for more than 60 years and then it was because of another condition - since then I’ve stopped doing those checks on a regular basis.
Thank you Joe and Dorie. My daughter is 10 years old she’ll be 11 tomorrow. She’s learned a lot and she knows how to do calculations, the injections on her own and knows some of the stuffs that she can not eat. She does have the CGM Dexcome 6 when it beeps I can’t heard at night that’s why I still put my alarm to wake me up and even with the alarm there are days that I so tired that I don’t wake up. When that happened I feel real bad cause I start thinking what if, a lot of thinks goes by my mind. Specially when She’s had lows and highs in the middle of the night before. she does not wake up, she continues to sleep. I only wake her up when is low to make her drink the juice.
She still learning on how to know the signs of lows and highs. Her CGM will say it but she don’t know it is low or high.
Dennis. I was recently told that she is probably getting off the honey moon period by one of the emergency on call doctors. Her regimen is being changer quiet a bit. This past Saturday she had a low sugar in the middle of the night. When she being having highs of 460 the highest and 250 being the lowest. Her Nurse practitioners said that we have to wait a few, since two changes were done with in days. So, I’m going to email her tomorrow to see what the next step will be since she has access to see her readings.
I do check for ketones and thank god she don’t have any.
@Yani2008 First Chela, wish her a really happy birthday for me and celebrate with her. It is her special day - and you can help her guess the special carbohydrates she will eat and figure out the insulin.
I see why you are getting up to check on her even though she is using a CGM. Perhaps soon her insulin production will cease almost completely [honeymoon period ends] and her body glucose levels will be easier to manage. You must know that the sound level on her Dexcom receiver can be adjusted; I have my “alarm sound” set on HIGH Volume and my alert sound level is on medium.
New T1 mom here as well. My daughter was diagnosed in January. Our endocrinologist said that the 2am checks are for safety issues. Since getting our CGM however, they have been eliminated for us. I too had a problem of being able to hear the alerts from her bedroom, but invested in a baby monitor. It’s awesome. I no longer have to worry if she’s alarming, because I hear it loud and clear. I just bought the most basic one at Walmart. I don’t need to watch her sleep. 
hope this helps. Good luck!