Type 1 Diabetes in Toddlers

My son has a rare genetic form of diabetes and was diagnosed at 2, he's 4.5 now. He is on insulin, just once a day now. very difficult to limit carbs. I'm so sorry. It is very hard. Do you go to Cook's? We have been but I am taking my son to childrens in dallas now.

My daughter was diagnosed 1 week before her 3rd birthday. It was very scary for us but she is 6 now and it seems to be easier each year. She was on NPH and Humalog injections until she was 4 then we changed to Lantus and Humalog injections and that is her current meds. She is able to test her own blood sugar and is now beginnig to give her own shots. I thought forsure that my life was over when she first got diagnosed but there is a lot of little things that are different but she does function normally for the most part. She still spends the night with one of her friends, the mom was so sweet to take the time to learn how to do all her injections and test her blood sugar. I would be willing to answere any questions you have. Good luck and I will pray that this transition time is easy for both you and you son!

I am so sorry to hear of your son's diagnosis. My daughter, now 16, was diagnosed just after her 4th birthday and she started on the insulin pump when she was 8 (I wish we could have started sooner as life is so much easier)....please let me know how I can help. I am a member of some great D e-groups as well......this disease can really suck at times but it is liveable - my daughter travels with her choir and has even been to Italy without me. My brother was diagnosed when he was 6.....let me know how I can help.

Hello,

I'm curious to know what your son's symptoms were that got the diagnosis of diabetes. I'm curious because I'm suspecting diabetes with my 8 yr old so please share if you can.

Thanks!

I don't know too much about this....but you can find a community of friends and information on Facebook: Help Cure Childhood Diabetes. There's over 1700 friends.. Good luck on your journey...I know it's tough...I know someone that just started dealing with this this year with her son.....She founds some great support through diabetes support groups. (hugs!)

My daughter was diagnosed when she was 6. She is 9 years old. Last summer they put her on the pump and i can't say how simple it has made things. I can tell you that you should not think that this will hold your child down in any way. I've seen so many articles stressing how difficult it is and how aweful it is for children. Not to say there arn't times that she says she wished she didn't have diabetes but she is still a happy, healthy, and incredibly athletic child.

Honestly - it's gonna be how you and your family approach it - if you all act like it is a huge deal, a major problem and an aweful henderance then it will be. It took me awhile to train my mother not to act that way b/c it made my daughter incredibly uncomfortable. My daughter is now on the pump and it has opened an unlimited amount of freedom. Even before the pump she was able to eat what she wanted just take the correct doses. I can tell you that many doctors at childrens will want to limit your child on a carb schedule. and maybe at this time becuase he is so young that will work - but when he gets older try to find a dr. that will do a ratio plan instead of a food plan. a food plan limits the amounts of carbs per meal with can be very difficult and unflexible. A ratio plan allows you to dose your child for exactly what they eat which helps when they get stubborn and decide they don't want the apples or m/c that you want them to eat.

Also - i would consider the pump if possible. The pump company we use in animas and I've seen pictures of them sending the pump home with newborns so i know it is possible. Pumping is such a wonderful option for type 1 diabetics my daughters a-1 is awesome and just slightly higher than mine but well within the suggested limits by the ADA. If you have any other questions or concerns feel free to contact me.

When this happened to us we didn't know who to talk to. It was a tramatizing week and I honestly thought my world was falling apart. But now i can hardly keep up with her activities - so this is very dooable (as if you have an option :) ) good luck and again feel free to contact me if you would like to talk or have any other questions.

Oh, V., I am so sorry! My heart is grieving for you right now.

My daughter was 19 months when she was diagnosed. She is 3 years old now. We were devastated and then our son, who is 6, was just diagnosed 2 months ago.

Please, please private message me if you want to talk. I know all too well the struggle of having a toddler with diabetes.

It DOES get easier! I promise! It will always be hard but giving shots, counting carbs, knowing how each food affects your child's blood sugars, etc. will become second nature.

My husband has had diabetes since he was 3 years old. He has an insulin pump and his A1c tests are the best his endocrinologist has ever seen.

Our kids have the best advantage! There are so many advances in diabetes care! It's amazing! Both of my kids are looking forward to getting an insulin pump. We know a child who got his insulin pump at age 16 months and is THRIVING!

I know that it's hard to see past the bad news of a diabetes diagnoses, I still cry with my kids when shots hurt them. BUT there is alot of good news too. Your child (and my kids) can have the best lives possible and have healthy bodies despite having diabetes. They will be normal people who wear their pancreas on the OUTSIDE of the body, not the INSIDE. That will be the only difference.

Some things that have helped us:

Blowing bubbles while getting a shot- helps the child relax and gives them something else to focus on while you are drawing up their shot and administering it.

Pain-Ease spray is a new product for numbing the injection site. I don't recommend it for frequent use, but it was a life saver for us, for a time when our daughter was sick and shot hurt really bad.

Stevita powdered drink packets, made from Stevia instead of harmful sugar free substances.

A GOOD pediatric endocrinologist.

You and your family are in my prayers!

Anne-Marie

Hello,

I am sorry to hear about your son.
My niece has had diabetes type 1 since she was 2 years old and she is now 14 years.
To find out more, go the JDRF website. My sister had been involved a lot in the local diabetes network. You can contact her at ____@____.com and I am sure she can direct you to the right contacts.

Good luck,
S.

My oldest sister was diagonsed with type 1 when she was eight- she will be 38 in March and has 2 little boys now! It is a difficult health problem to get used too, but it is very managable now. When my sister was diagnosed- she wasn't expected to live past 30- there have been so many medical advances and break throughs with diabetes that now although it's not curable, it's very managable.
I would suggest you look up a support group to help you through this and to help you get used to givng your son his shots every day. My sister now has an insulin pump and she loves it, I don't know how old they have to be to use one though.
If you have any questions or need to talk- I'll give you her email address. She could answer any questions you might have.
God Bless!
~C.