OFF TOPIC: Resources/suggestions/ideas for child with diabetes?

TraciInLA
TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I haven’t posted much in the last week –- my girlfriend’s young son has been in the hospital, and I’ve been staying at their house, looking after her daughter.

Her son is 11, and has been diagnosed with sudden onset type 1 diabetes. He’s home now, getting ready to go back to school tomorrow, and doing very well –- everyone’s getting in the groove of learning to manage his diabetes –- but of course, their lives have been turned upside down by this.

I’m wondering if any of you have experience with children with diabetes, perhaps have any resources to suggest? Any books you recommend, either for him or his mom? Any suggestions for financial assistance for all the medical supplies and insulin he now needs? They have insurance, but it sure doesn’t cover much. Any helpful advice would be appreciated!

Traci

Comments

  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #2
    Bump
    Just bumping this up, in case any of you out there have experience with this and have any advice to share.

    Traci
  • Sher43009
    Sher43009 Member Posts: 602 Member
    #3
    TraciInLA said:

    Bump
    Just bumping this up, in case any of you out there have experience with this and have any advice to share.

    Traci

    Hi Traci--Have you tried the
    Hi Traci--Have you tried the American Diabetes Assoc.? The site is www.diabetes.org.
    I just googled American Diabetes Assoc. and there's a lot of websites dealing with this.
    Good Luck
    Sher
  • CarrWilson
    CarrWilson Member Posts: 111
    #4
    TraciInLA said:

    Bump
    Just bumping this up, in case any of you out there have experience with this and have any advice to share.

    Traci

    Type I ??
    Hi Tracy -

    This will be a difficult journey for your friend and her son. Their life's will be totally turned upside down. It will be a family learning experience. Diet, exercise, sports, triggers, illnesses, temptations especially in the teenage years.

    Type I diabetes is usually what young people are diagnosed with (usually an autoimmune issue). Your friend will need a good pediatric internist, and a good family or general MD. I would suggest informing his school nurse, teachers, secretaries and principle. Once she learns the ups and downs of this disease, perhaps she could give a short presentation to his class so his classmates will be more understanding.

    Food is such a social issue, and some kids can be freaked out by BS testing, and insulin injections. There are some really good insulin pumps that help with the not having to inject yourself.

    support groups: http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/
    http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=103442

    I am sorry I do not have financial resourses, but once she starts hooking up with support groups, and good MD's I am sure they will be able to direct her to local resources.

    This is somewhat like the BC journey, there is so much to learn, so much to decide, unfortunately for them it will be an everyday, lifelong journey.

    Best of Luck - Hope this helps. - Carrie
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #5
    CarrWilson said:

    Type I ??
    Hi Tracy -

    This will be a difficult journey for your friend and her son. Their life's will be totally turned upside down. It will be a family learning experience. Diet, exercise, sports, triggers, illnesses, temptations especially in the teenage years.

    Type I diabetes is usually what young people are diagnosed with (usually an autoimmune issue). Your friend will need a good pediatric internist, and a good family or general MD. I would suggest informing his school nurse, teachers, secretaries and principle. Once she learns the ups and downs of this disease, perhaps she could give a short presentation to his class so his classmates will be more understanding.

    Food is such a social issue, and some kids can be freaked out by BS testing, and insulin injections. There are some really good insulin pumps that help with the not having to inject yourself.

    support groups: http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/
    http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=103442

    I am sorry I do not have financial resourses, but once she starts hooking up with support groups, and good MD's I am sure they will be able to direct her to local resources.

    This is somewhat like the BC journey, there is so much to learn, so much to decide, unfortunately for them it will be an everyday, lifelong journey.

    Best of Luck - Hope this helps. - Carrie

    Thank you, Sher & Carrie
    Thank you both for your suggestions. I've been looking at cookbooks at the American Diabetes Association's online store, but their descriptions are so brief, it's hard to know what would be good. I may actually have to actually go TO a real, live bookstore -- I'm not sure I remember how to do that! :-)

    Carrie, I mentioned both of the links you recommended to my girlfriend, and it turns out she had already found the message board on the childrenwithdiabetes.com site, which is a lot like this one -- lots of helpful, practical tips from people who are living day-today with the same issues. Great suggestion.

    They were initially referred to Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, so thankfully they are working with the best pediatric specialists in the area, and a pediatric diabetes nurse is checking in with them several times a day. So they're finding their way -- yesterday's happy news was that sugar-free Oreos passed the 11-year-old quality control test!

    Thanks again for your support,

    Traci
  • Sher43009
    Sher43009 Member Posts: 602 Member
    #6
    TraciInLA said:

    Thank you, Sher & Carrie
    Thank you both for your suggestions. I've been looking at cookbooks at the American Diabetes Association's online store, but their descriptions are so brief, it's hard to know what would be good. I may actually have to actually go TO a real, live bookstore -- I'm not sure I remember how to do that! :-)

    Carrie, I mentioned both of the links you recommended to my girlfriend, and it turns out she had already found the message board on the childrenwithdiabetes.com site, which is a lot like this one -- lots of helpful, practical tips from people who are living day-today with the same issues. Great suggestion.

    They were initially referred to Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, so thankfully they are working with the best pediatric specialists in the area, and a pediatric diabetes nurse is checking in with them several times a day. So they're finding their way -- yesterday's happy news was that sugar-free Oreos passed the 11-year-old quality control test!

    Thanks again for your support,

    Traci

    I asked a friend of mine
    I asked a friend of mine that has diabetes (adult) about snacks and he recommends going to a health food store. He found one that has a section of cookie, brownie mixes recommended by the American Diabetes Assoc. You'll find their logo on the boxes they approve.

    Bookstores are one of my favorite stores, can spend hours in them. Have fun.

    Sher

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