Type 1 Diabetic.

I don't have family with diabetes, but have first hand experience of teaching children with diabetes.

We had rigorous procedures in place for dealing with any hypo/incident. The child's photo was displayed in the school office, along with an action plan and all staff knew who that pupil was and what to do in an emergency
We had similar procedures in place for pupils, who suffered from anaphylaxis.
Schools are much more on the ball nowadays and better informed.

Apart from that, their school life was like any other pupil's. Everything was in place to help the children lead as normal a life as possible.
The only disruption to school life was that the child ate at specific times in the day and had to be careful at P.E times.

I hope this helps to allay your fears a little, it must have been an awful shock for you and your family.
I also am sorry your son feels this way and hope he can get help to deal with this awful news. His reaction is surely not helping your granddaughter.

I am sorry to hear you are in shock.
It will be a great shock.
My friends' only son was diagnosed at about that age. He went on to lead a very successful life. In those days (1980s) he had to inject insulin everyday and I'm sure it's simpler now.
Sending positive thoughts.

No one in family with diabetes.
But my sons' freind at school had/has it. Secondary school.
They used to meet up outside school hours regularly.
I was aware of it, and obviously so were they, but it made no difference from the social point of view of things.
Hope that helps.

My daughter was diagnosed with type1 diabetes age 11. She is now almost 42yrs. Yes it is not easy but with lots of forward planning there is no reason not to lead a normal life. It is important that all schools, friends, family, are aware of the situation and what actions to take if low blood sugars occur. My daughter in P7 went on a school trip to Holland without any problems with the help of an understanding teacher.

She sat all her exams at school, attended and graduated from university, drives and has a good job and travels abroad for holidays even traveling alone to visit a friend in Australia.

It probably helped that I am also type1 diabetic and have been for 36yrs, now retired I was a teacher. Please ask for help from the diabetic team at your local hospital who are always at the end of a phone.

One thing I automatically seemed to do when she was diagnosed was to be able to “tune in” through the night to her having a low blood sugar.

Yes it is a life long condition but ways of managing it have improved so much over the years and continue to do so. A shock at the beginning it soon becomes routine and a way of life.

www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/your-child-and-diabetes

Anne701951 you might find this website useful reading.
Lots of information and a forum to talk to other families in the same situation.
Best wishes to you all xx

I became a diabetic nearly 70 years ago
I was 10 and in my final year at junior school..ln those days hospital stays were four to six weeks.Test tubes and bunsen burners tested urine for sugars.Blood sugar tests took at least a month for results.
Nowadays things are much more advanced.Blood sugar results are instant. Insulin can be automatically delivered by pump and life is very normal

Please do not worry, your grandson will be well looked after by both his medical team and his school.There are a lot more low sugar and sugar free products available now.
When I was diagnosed the only sugar free product was Roses Lime Juice which was more expensive .
I am relatively fit and have travelled the world.
I do not let Diabetes rule my world and just be sensible.

Sorry I meant granddaughter.

My daughter was also diagnosed at age 8 she has had a perfectly normal life she is now 35.
It will throw up the odd problems but even at a young age she quickly mastered her injections and blood tests. She now uses a freestyle Libre which is a disc stuck to her arm that she can swipe with ger phone to give a blood reading. She has never wanted a diabetic pump for her insulin.
Her school friends knew she was diabetic which is very helpful although she had very few hypos when she was young. She also went to University without any problems
Children are very adaptable but she would not have been helped if either I or her father had gone into meltdown. She needed support she was the one that would have to deal with this all her life, so making it as less scary as possible was most important.

Rather different but my eldest son was diagnosed with type 1 when he was 33. He is now 35. At the time I knew virtually nothing about diabetes and thought he would have to avoid sugar/desserts etc. I never realised that carbohydrates are the real minefield. I feel sorry for your poor son. He probably feels so powerless and obviously very sad for his little girl but diabetes is very manageable and a normal life is achievable.

I can well imagine how worried you are. But there is no need to. My friend’s son was diagnosed with Diabetes at about the same age. He is now a strapping 40 year old, very successful young man. I’m sure he too had to inject himself daily, but I don’t know how he manages the condition now. Treatments have changed I’m sure.

Thank you all so very much!. I will show these messages to my son. xxx

rosie1959

My daughter was also diagnosed at age 8 she has had a perfectly normal life she is now 35.
It will throw up the odd problems but even at a young age she quickly mastered her injections and blood tests. She now uses a freestyle Libre which is a disc stuck to her arm that she can swipe with ger phone to give a blood reading. She has never wanted a diabetic pump for her insulin.
Her school friends knew she was diabetic which is very helpful although she had very few hypos when she was young. She also went to University without any problems
Children are very adaptable but she would not have been helped if either I or her father had gone into meltdown. She needed support she was the one that would have to deal with this all her life, so making it as less scary as possible was most important.

A friend’s grandson has this, it was a real shock for them all.
He can zap a sort of bar code on his arm for blood sugar readings instead of finger pricking but still needs to inject insulin before meals and work out carb counts to get the right amount.The pumps aren’t for everyone and are expensive.
Blood levels need checking before exercise and after too.
It’s a faff and can be worrying, will he have a hypo during the night, she really worries about him.
I agree with this poster about making things less scary, but the reality is that it really can be if the diabetic child/ person isn’t careful.

Oreo of course it can be worrying at first but I found my daughter became very aware of her condition hypos during the night would always wake her and she would take action to bring her sugars back up this actually happened very rarely.
We purchased the new Libre sensor for her when she was pregnant because she lost many of her warning signals and at that time she couldn't get it on prescription her Dr has had to fight to get it for her recently.
I think I am right in saying that now if she goes too low an alarm will sound on her phone.

rosie195, what a sensible and reassuring post, especially as you have first hand experience of a child with diabetes.

One of our GS was diagnosed at a similar age. He has managed very well and is now at Uni. His friends all knew and he went out and about as normal with them. In fact as he doesn’t drink he usually ended up taking them home! Treatment is so good now

My daughter, a type 1 diabetic, is just in the last few weeks of her first pregnancy. She is being monitored and cared for very carefully and all is going well. She is active in managing her condition and leads a full and active life with lots of travel. The libre type products have transformed life for diabetics - hers beeps when she goes low- and I am confident that there are even more improvements around the corner. She wore her arm sensor proudly displayed on wedding day - " it's who I am". Good luck .

Hope all these positive messages are making you feel better Anne. As I said in my PM my GS is coping well and has recently had an insulin pump fitted. Research Type 1 diabetes so you understand the condition. Attitudes towards the diognosis is of paramount importance to facilitate your GS's positive feelings about what is happening. It is a case of letting him know his condition must not be taken lightly but that must be balanced with feel good vibes to ensure your GS knows he can do everything his friends do - just takes a bit of thoughtful planning! Your GS is the one that will have to learn how to manage this so he definitely needs a positive response from parents and everyone else who loves him . I wish you all well.

Sorry Anne I meant GD!!

I was diagnosed with Type 1 at the age of 13 and am now 68. I had two children, and now have two granddaughters, none of whom has got diabetes so far.

Treatment and testing is SO much better nowadays, although injected or pumped insulin is still essential for Type 1.

Currently they are working on a closed loop pump, which tests your blood sugar and automatically doses with insulin, so the days of having to decide on how much insulin to take when will be gone. Basically it will do what the destroyed pancreas cells used to do, so life will be as close to normal as possible. It will be a complete game changer!

www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/new-findings-nhs-hybrid-closed-loop-pilot-dukpc-research-highlights

I currently use the Libre 2 which I get on prescription. It has made a huge difference to me, as it has alarms available for too high or too low blood glucose, which will be so helpful to your granddaughter and her parents, especially at night and at school.

www.freestyle.abbott/uk-en/products/freestyle-libre-2.html

I have never used a pump, preferring to inject myself, but diabetics I know are very happy with theirs.

There is obviously no good time to be diagnosed with diabetes, but the treatment and monitoring are SO much easier now; I feel sorry for the 13 year old me and my mum having to navigate it with no means of testing accurately!

She truly can live a very normal life, and I wish you all the very best!

Hi. One of my Grandchildren was diagnosed at aged 10, also coeliac disease at the same time. He was truly amazing did his own testing and injections. He’s now 20 at university and has all the latest technology no more finger pricks or anymore injections needed. All the best to your Granddaughter.