Diabetes in child? Any advice please?

[rattlesnake]

My DS (7) has been complaining of on and off tummy pains and nausea for about 3 weeks..no vomiting, and the nausea usually passes when he eats. I put it down to tummy bag going round at school, and after school hunger. Just been talking to a friend (nurse) and happened to mention this along with fact that I took him for eye test about a month ago as he was complaining of "fuzzy" words. She advised me to get him to docs asap as it sounds like diabetes. Am now crapping myself and wont sleep until I can call docs in the morning. Can anyone offer any support?

[brambleschooks]

Hi there, hope you're getting some rest by now.
My ds was diagnosed aged 7. he had had lots of tummy pains.

Other symptoms were weight loss, tiredness, irritability, pear drops smell on breath, he'd gone off his food and in the very late stages he started drinking and seeing for Britain then he started to wet the bed.

Speed is of the importance so if you have any concerns please ensure he sees your gp ASAP. Take a urine sample with you.

Good luck. Hope it turns out not to be.

Google the children with diabetes uk website. There's lots of good info on there. If it is what you fear you'll get lots of support there too. Xx

[brambleschooks]

Seeing = weeing!

[NicwNacw]

DS2 (6) was diagnosed 3 weeks ago - still very early days for us and a very steep learning curve. However, general symptoms that rang alarm bells for us were:

Very thirsty - measured and in one day drank over 3 litres

Bedwetting - had been dry since 2.5, started with occasional accident and built to being wet every night (sometimes several times)

Tired/listlessness

Irritability

In our defence, we had put much of this down to DH's recent cancer diagnosis and major op. Only when DH's Mum came to stay and mentioned the drinking did I start to suspect diabetes. If you have any doubt at all take a urine sample to your GP and get them to dip it for glucose/ketones - it's as easy as that to diagnose and the quicker it's picked up the better.

Good luck, let us know how you get on

[NicwNacw]

Oh yes and sore tummy too, really noticeable when consultant felt his tummy on admission.

[brambleschooks]

Sorry To hear that nicnaw iyswim. I hope you are getting the support you alll need. Xx once we got my ds onto a pump and started carb counting it all fell into place. He's 11 now and doing really well, although we have the odd bad patch still.

[brambleschooks]

Btw, I'll say it again! Children with diabetes uk mailing list was the best thing that happened to get us the support from other parents. I opened a gmail account to keep it separate from my main mail as you can get a lot each day. We've held each others hands through a lot and celebrated much with each other too.

www.childrenwithdiabetesuk.org/children-with-diabetes-email-and-mailing-lists/

[brambleschooks]

www.childrenwithdiabetesuk.org/children-with-diabetes-email-and-mailing-lists/

For nicwnaw but hoping for the best for you rattlesnake.

[NicwNacw]

Thanks for the link Brambleschooks!

Funnily enough we had our first 'proper' clinic app yesterday and have started carb counting now. They also talked about the pump, but we got the impression they want us to get to grips with everything first.

Sorry for hijacking your thread Rattlesnake hope all is well

[brambleschooks]

What part of the country are you in nicnac?

We had to be sorted with carb counting before we had a pump - there's a really good book called carbs andcals, it has an iPod touch app thatgpes with it. Worth buying! We also have some salter scales that we type the food name into and which give us the carb value of what we'e weighing.

How are things today rattlesnake?

[NicwNacw]

Brambleschooks I'm in Wales - under the diabetes team in Aberystwyth. They've been fab, really supportive. Having DS's pen changed next week to one with 1/2 units so we can be more accurate and have bought the Collins Gem carb book and some new scales, but they're not programmable. Where are you?

Did you get to the Docs Rattlesnake?

[brambleschooks]

How are things rattlesnake?

We're near Chester and under The local team - they're great.

Half units sounds good, it seems hard work at first but you soon get used to it. We found most kids need much more insulin per carbs at breakfast than later in day. Are you matching insulin to food or are they limiting an amount of carbs for each meal? We match to food.

We also use a dexcom seven glucose monitoring system - fab, but self fund. There are combined pumps out there that we"d like when pump upgrade time comes but we will have to get sensor funding.

Hope your school are as supportive as ours were.

Hope all's well rattlesnake.

[paddyclamp]

Rattlesnake...i'm have type 1 diabetes diagnosed when i was at junior school..i had stomach ache and blurred vision but also a really intense thirst like the others describe!

From what i remeber the thirst, oh and the tiredness came first, and the stomach pains came after.

Even if it is diabetes, he will be ok, i see it as just a minor inconvenience after all these years!

[brambleschooks]

Hope no news is good news, rattlesnake.