There's no solution to this ... it's really just more of a rant. My toddler has decided he's obsessed w/ my pen needles. He used to be happy if I gave him the lantus pen, while I used humalog, and vice versa. But, now he's started to try to grab them w/ the needle on, while they are in me, etc. It's too late to tell him he can't touch them b/c I've been giving them to him to play with to stay occupied while I test, etc everyday. He's almost 2, so the more you tell him to wait or not to touch, the more intriguing it seems. I'm nervous about saying, "oh no, it will hurt mommy." I don't want him to think it's something bad or scary. I hope this phase ends soon!
I'm not sure giving chidren medical equipment to play with was good idea to start with... but I'm sure you get that, now. Find a specific toy that you give him only when you're testing/injecting/etc., so that he has his "own toy" like you have "yours". Be firm that he cannot play with your supplies. Be consistent in not letting him touch them. He'll fight it a lot... but for your sake, and his, it needs to be done.
[quote user="Kim"]
I'm not sure giving chidren medical equipment to play with was good idea to start with... but I'm sure you get that, now.
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Lol, Kim. He's not programming a pacemaker. (: When you're a parent with T1, you just gotta get things to keep a toddler busy if you want to be able to check your BG 8-10 times a day and keep a good a1c. When I was little, my mom would break the needles off my syringes and my sister and I would have water gun fights.
But, anyways, you're right, I should find one item he always can hold and only stick to that one so he doesn't get stabbed (or me!!). Thanks!
No is not a bad word, clear, concise, and it will protect you and your child. I know it sound harsh, but it may provide a better understanding of what is going on with the T1D. Has he learned how to load the test strip for you yet?
my husband uses syringes and we always let him know that they were not toys and that they could hurt him and he never really touched them, but he was extremely afraid of needles before last year whether that kept him away from them or whether us keeping him from them caused him to be afraid i don't know.
You could try showing him the pen with the needle on (out of reach) and explain that this part is sharp and that this part could hurt him. either that or you could try putting treehouse or something on tv for a distraction so he won't be interested in what you are doing....
Hopefully something else will be the "in" thing for him soon.
You could bribe him with a veggie stick afterwards or even put on a television show for him. I know when I was 2 years old my mom would bribe me with flavored water. You could even try flavored water possibly and when older bribe with flavored seltzer and say it's really 'soda'. ;o)
I don't know if that will help, but good luck!
My daughter will be 2 at the end of the month and she is pretty interested in all of my sons D equipment. Interestingly, she leaves his pump alone and pretty much always has. The only exception is during site changes, which is dicey because my son hates it, so I am trying to keep him calm and change his site and keep her from grabbing the quickserter either before or after use. (And anyone who suggests turning on the TV does not know that a screaming brother getting a medical procedure is WAY more interesting than anything on TV. LOL)
Can you get an empty pen to let him play with that is just his? We got a bunch of plastic syringes from the Child Life dept of the hospital after dx. So both my kids could safely give their animals or each other 'shots'. I've also removed the needle from the quickserter and let my kids play with them. But I think the biggest thing is teaching him 'No, Ouch!' Just like you would with the stove or oven.
I would also try to just stop doing it right in front of him. He's old enough now that he can play on his own for a few minutes while you do your thing.
The kid is now 2. Can't you just send him/her to his/her room for the 2 minutes it takes to test and shoot up? Or just go in the bathroom or some other room and shut the door? I'm a little confused as to the why he/she has to be there under foot when you do these things.
[quote user="DDrumminMan"]
The kid is now 2. Can't you just send him/her to his/her room for the 2 minutes it takes to test and shoot up? Or just go in the bathroom or some other room and shut the door? I'm a little confused as to the why he/she has to be there under foot when you do these things.
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I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but REALLY? I test my BG between 7 and 10 times a day. You expect me to lock a 21 month old in a room alone in front of the t.v. or something up to 10 times a day? Typically developing toddlers like to be near others when they play and show interest in imitating the activities of their parents. I've worked with 0-5 year olds for years and I can't imagine any of the ones w/ typically developing social and play skills being happy about being locked in another room so often from their parents.
In hindsight, I shouldn't have posted this, but I guess I thought other parents of toddlers could feel my pain and laugh w/ me. Of course I say "no" to my son in other domains. My main problem is how it's not a great time to deal with an angry toddler with a needle in me. While I was pregnant, Moms on a T1 women's listserve I'm on were all lamenting how their teenagers were so embarrassed their moms had D, that they tried to hide their moms' pumps, etc from their friends, etc. So, I've purposefully tried to be open with my son about it, and my husband and I try to make it part of the whole family's responsibility. I just can't imagine acting as thought it's scary and has to be hidden.
OK, vent over. I'm moving on now...
This kind of reminds me of when my ds ( as an infant) went into the biting stage while I nursed him. I had posted on a moms group that I was frustrated and had a lot of well meaning moms and nurses post that they could come teach me how to get him to stop, not to give up nursing as it was such a great thing to do for my kid...etc etc. I of course had no intention of stopping...just wanted someone else to empathize when I said OUCH!
Thanks!!!! (:
P.S. I think all those biting "cures" are a fabrication anyways. I tried all of them and well, he just stopped biting me when he decided the time was right, lol.
[quote user="Sarah"]
Thanks!!!! (:
P.S. I think all those biting "cures" are a fabrication anyways. I tried all of them and well, he just stopped biting me when he decided the time was right, lol.
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this sounds very painful.
you are allowed to post whatever you like, sarah. even though i'm not a mother, i can understand your wanting to be open about your d with your child and making him feel involved. when i was babysitting, they were always very curious about my insulin pump, so i explained to them (the best i could to little kids) about diabetes and what an insulin pump did. i let them push buttons and such to make them feel involved too. sometimes, we do what we have to. i'm sure you'll be able to figure something out, and your son will listen to you because you're his mommy :o)
Thanks C! (: