I'm having a Diabetic Visitor - HELP!!!!!

[snookhams]

While my eldest DS is in Spain on a swimming training camp this week - I told youngest DS that he could have a friend to stay for a couple of nights - The 9 year old friend that he chose is a diabetic - I was fine with this at first, as he is such an adorable boy - but I am begining to panic now, I have to go tomorrow to learn how to give his injections, and I am really begining to worry. I really need some reassurance that this will be OK

 

[Suzyq9241]

I used to work at a school which had diabetics

We had to go through classes to notice the signs and what to do if it had happened.

After going through the class it was ok

For some reason thats when the art teacher told me about her and I cant begin to tell you how she had helped me about what to watch for and how to handle it..

I think after the class you will be alright


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[Miffy2003]

snookhams, I think you need to understand as well as you can about your son's friend first.

The questions you need to ask are:

1. How often does he blood test and will he be doing extra as he in in unusual surroundings?

2. What are the early signs of hypoglycaemia (hypo) in this young man? Generally confusion, sweating, shaking etc can be syptoms but every diabetic is different.

3. What is his control like? Has he been hospitalized recently or needed help from a third person if having a hypo? If the answer to this question is yes, I think you should really think carefully before agreeing to have him to stay the night.

4. What should you do if he does have a hypo and you are unable to get him to eat? Is there a glucose injection you can have, and make sure you know the process for getting him to A&E if necessary (very unlikely you will need to do this)

I daresay I am over reacting a little but I am quite surprised a parent would be happy for an insulin controlled 9 year old to stay at someone else's house for a couple of nights. I would have expected them to maybe spend a day first, then maybe building up to a night where perhaps the mum does the injection before bed (depending on the type of insulin he is on). Then later when both parties are more comfortable with arrangements, to progress on. I strongly believe anyone with a condition like diabetes should not alter their life and the actions they take to run it - yet I would personally prefer a more "gradual" approach to this. Partly because in unusual surroundings and with excitement etc this may impact his blood sugar control.

Actually doing injections is really really easy and you don't need to worry about that I promise.

The chances of anything going wrong are extremely low but I think it is best for you to ensure you have all the information required if you do need to take some action.

Please let me know if you have any more specific questions and I will try to help.

 

[Miffy2003]

I used to work at a school which had diabetics

The thing with diabetes is that nobody knows you have it unless you choose to tell them. I would be amazed if there were many schools that did not have any!

 

[snookhams]

Thanks for all the help and advice. Jack's Mum and Dad are going to be available to contact he whole time that he is here, in fact in they live about 5 mins away, my son always goes with jack to do his bloods at school - and no he has not been hospitalised in the last 6 months, considering he has only been a diabetic since easter 2004 he copes very well and has it under control (apart from a some hypo's in the first year). He has been to us for the odd day during school holidays and has always been fine. I know that this is serious, and have therefore discussed meal times and injection times (injection half an hour before eating morning and evening) etc. My son is staying at Jacks house tomorrow night so I am going to go for a meal and a walk through the injection routine etc, and then when I go back early on Tues morning I will do the same thing and then he will stay with me tues and wed night all being well.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

As a Diabetic, I have to say, treat him with nop more kid gloves than you own son.
Yews, its a desease which will in time, cause quite a few problems, but Diabetic children, just laike many disabled children want to be treated the same as "normal" children. I would imagine at 9 he is very clued up on what he has to do and Bravo to his parents for letting him have a sleep over!

 

[Miffy2003]

snookhams, it sounds like you know this lad pretty well from your later posts. I didn't get the impression that you did from your first one

I think you have approached it in exactly the right way with regard to ensuring you are fully prepared.

Obi, you do have to be aware with diabetes of the possible implications. I 100% agree that diabetic people do not regard themselves as disabled in any way - please see my post above about people being diabetic and nobody knowing. But having said that, a full blown hypo is a terrifying thing to witness and deal with I think it is very wise for snookhams to ensure she has the full facts at hand - which she has.

I would suggest a 9 year old who has been diagnosed in the last 15 months is a different kettle of fish to an adult diabetic who has been diagnosed some years ago - a lot of newly diagnosed people (adults as well as children) struggle to recognise the early indications of hypos.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Miffy,
he may not be at the stage where he has had a hypo of course, not all Insulin dependant diabetics have hypos.

 

[eyoreaud]

Hi Snookhams, here's a site that may help you www.diabetes.org.uk I found this site to be very helpful when i was first diagnosed, i have type 2 diabetes though and this is different from type 1, which is probably what your sons friend has.

Audrey

 

[snookhams]

Thanks eyoreaud that looks really helpful, i will study it tonight whilst on my own.

 

[snookhams]

Just to let you know, everything went OK, although Jacks blood levels have been a little on the high side (except this morning, when I am about to take him home and its within normal levels) but his Mum thinks that the excitment could have had something to do with it, we've been to pictures, to see sky high - which we saw in August at DTD, and yesterday we took the boys to the London Dungeon - great long queues some poor souls waited 3 hours just to get in!!!!, it was good although a little scary. We have managed well, food wise, I even made a chocolate sponge with chocolate sauce using sweetner and it turned out great. So I would have no worries about him coming to stay again. I think that I just worried incase something went wrong whilst he was in my care. Thanks for all your help and advice.

 

[eyoreaud]

Hi Snookams,

Glad your visitor had a good time, it's not too difficult to feed a diabetic, it's just the fear of the unknown, once you know what to do it's not so bad, but you had good support and good info, this helps enormously

Audrey

 

[Miffy2003]

I'm glad it all went well snookhams

I think it's best to be prepared isn't it? And you obviously were

A little high blood sugar every once in a while is no great shakes!