When did you learn that your child had diabetes? What were the signs and symptoms that made you concerned that your child had diabetes before he or she was diagnosed?
We found out Kaylee had diabetes on January 31, 2006. One month before her 3rd Birthday. We took Kaylee to the Dr. because we she had excessive thirst and urination. She would have 5 cups of juice and water, and literally throw herself to the floor in a crying fit if we wouldn't give her more. She ALWAYS had a cup of something in her hand. She didn't eat much because she was constantly drinking. The constant urination was unbelievable. I couldn't get 5 minutes down the road in the car without her crying that she had to go potty NOW. and often before I found a place, or turned back, she had an accident. She would go right before we walked out the door as well. She had been potty trained before 2.5 years old so this was definitely not the norm for her. The night time accidents were just as bad. She'd wet the bed 4 or 5 times a night, and not just a little bit, but like someone dumped a bucket of water on her bed.. just totally soaked from head to toe. Her urine smelt like maple syrup too.. very sweet smelling.
When we took Kaylee into the Dr. we took her to rule out Diabetes, what a shock we got! Even her dr. didn't think she had it because he just assumed she was going to be small framed. But because he couldn't deny the strong symptoms that she was having he tested her urine for sugar. It came back postive. So off to the lab we went for blood work. Her labs came back with her blood glucose at 321. High and way out of the norm. But she had no ketones. We caught the diabetes very early, we were luckly. She went to see a Pediatric endocrinologist that afternoon along with a Certified Diabetes Educator. We learned how to use a meter, how to give insulin injections and how to count carbs. For the next two weeks we were in their office every day, learning.
We were thrown into a new world. Our life is consumed by balancing carbs, excercise and insulin ratios. Dr's appointments every three months. Every illness is a tramatic experience, often resulting in a trip the the ER and a Hospital stay. This is our new 'normal'. Every little aspect of the day effects Kaylee's blood sugar. She gets her finger poked 15times a day, wears an insulin pump 24/7 and will soon be wearing a Continuous glucose monitor.
Kim, Mommy to Jaylin (3/24/02) and Kaylee (2/28/03) dx w/ Type 1 1/31/06
Ava was diagnosed at two and half and is now three. We've been (we, ha ha, I mean her) diabetic for about a year now. It's definately been a challenge and a change, but we're doing great.
I actually took her to see the doctor because she was drinking soooo much fluid. she wasn't really peeing more (she has incredible bladder control, even the nurses were like, WTF? LOL) and her attitude was just all over the place. It was like that day before your child wakes up sick when they're not totally bratty, but almost there- anyway, it was like that everyday. I actually thought there was a problem in her Fathers home (we're divorced and shortly after her DX he went to rehab for meth addiction) so I brought her to the doc to rule out the diabetes so I could go after him. (although I knew in my heart what was wrong, even if everyone thought I was crazy because of her age and because she was only presenting with one symptom really) but low and behold she had moderate Ketones and her BG was 520. Her a1c that first week was 16.4 (she had the betes for a while) we spent five days in the hossy getting her regulated and learning about everything. she's still on injections (3 to 5 a day) and she gets checked another 3-7 times a day. My doc wants to think about a pump in a year from now (I say no way right now) but I say she won't get a pump until sometime more around 7 to 10.
Hi! my name is Lori and my little boy Beau is 6 years old. He was diagnosed 8/23/06. I started noticing different things about him and I just knew something wasnt' right....He would have a hard time walking at a mall, it was like he couldn't lift his legs anymore and I would have to carry him.... He would every now and then {projectilely} throw up, usually at night.He would get real irritable over nothing at all, but I think the one thing that really triggered me was his frequent urination and the 1 minute playing hard and the next minute laying there.... Mommies know there children and my instinct was right,I'm glad it got caught as soon as it did..... It still seems like yesterday, It's a day I'll never FORGET!!!!!!
My now 12 year old son was diagnosed when he was 9, on the last day of school, 2005.
The symptoms we brought him to the doctor for where increased urination, especially at night. He'd even started wetting his bed at night! THAT'S when I had this light bulb go off in my head, thinking about his neverending thirst as well, that he could have Diabetes (I'm an RN).
Looking back further, I saw the increased thirst, and also the weight loss. He'd lost a lot of weight, and looking back in pictures in May of that year, he looked so small and thin (I thought at the time his thinness was from his dad...he was always a "skinny" kid). But also looking back, he looked so pale and sickly, I don't know how I missed it, and felt guilty about it for a time too.
Also in retrospect, he had had bad headaches which could have been a symptom.
Luckily, he was not hospitalized at time of diagnosis... he blood sugar was 600+, but he was negative for ketones. So we spent the afternoon at the endocrinologist, and was sent home with a meter, and needles, and insulin. It was quite overwhelming, even for an RN.
Very difficult time for a parent. I think my son coped far better than me.
My Brookelynn was 2 and 1/2 when she was diagnosed. She was potty trained fully during the day but at night, she was going through the best diapers out there. Like you said, it was like someone was dumping buckets on her bed. She was also drinking WAY too much. She would go through a gallon of milk a day, by herself, besides the water from the fridge door! She would ask for something to drink, gulp it down and ask for more; three of four times in a row! When she started drinking my coffee creamer and contact solution (not out of the bottle, out of the contact case) I knew something was wrong. My husband didn't believe me, so when he was working, I brought her to the Dr. They checked her blood and told me to take her to the hospital ASAP. We live in a small town and the nearest hospital is 30 minutes away. I picked up my husband, dropped off our oldest at a friends and we spent the night in the hospital. Her number was 758 with high ketones. By the morning, her number was down and she had no ketones! We spent the rest of the day learning everything!
Brookelynn is about to hit her 1 year mark and she is doing excellent! Everyone can't get over how well she takes everything. She never fights me, not even from day one! She gets her blood checked 7-10 times a day with insulin shots about 4-5 times, depending on what and when she eats. My oldest daughter, Hailey, took it really hard at first. She was worried about her sister and also that she would have to have her blood checked and shots. Now, however, she wants to learn how to care for her sister just incase!
Tomorrow, we have her 1 year appointment. We have come a long way to get to this point but we are here and Brookelynn is as healthy as can be expected! I eventually would like to get her on the insulin pump but that is something for later and I am hoping that they will find a cure by then! ( thinking optimistically)
