10yo DS diagnosed with type 2 diabetes!

[frangipan]

Gp rang yesterday with the results of some blood tests that my DS had last week as he had been having some 'funny turns' feeling hot/ cold and weak and lethargic.

The GP said that the results show that he hs Type 2 diabetes! I thought this was only seen in adults and everything I have read says that it is linked with obesity and I feel terribly sorry for him as he is not obese and within a normal weight range for his age and height.
DS is away on a school field trip until friday so he doesn't know yet, although I have spoken to the teachers with him so that they are aware. Thats all I know at the moment.

Does anyone have experience of this that can offer any advice on what happens next as it's another week until we see the specialist and I'm doing a fantastic job at being a neuratic mother!

hello Frangipan
please email me and I will send you an ebook that could help your son.
I used the diet and I am reversing my diabetes. I too, have type II but not 10 yrs old sadly !

I am confident you will benefit from this book
good Luck

I don't have any advice but offer you my sympathy. Every mother must feel for you as every parent wishes only the best for their children and what is best and most important than health.
Hope you will all cope well with this. Good luck at the specialist!

Hi frangipan, why is the GP so sure it?s Type 2 rather than Type I? Also, it?s not widely known but there are several variations on diabetes which display some traits of each type, so your DS could fall into one of these categories.

You definitely need to see a specialist as most GPs (in my experience) don?t have much understanding of the finer points of diabetes care and management.

I am sorry for not posting on this thread. Thankyou for your replies, I was getting in a terrible state.
He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes ( slow onset) on thursday morning and is now on insulin 4 x daily, his blood sugars are still very high , over 20mmol so I guess they will increase his insulin tomorrow. I was a bit stunned but he is being brilliant, at least we have started treatment before he is really poorly. Thankyou again xx

My also 9 year old daughter has type 1 and has done since 3.5 years - i hope you have access to a diabetes nurse who can help, ours has been invaluable. I know that this changes nothing, but please do remember that this is genetic and has nothing to do with his diet or anything you have done - didn't make me feel any better as i was in shock for ages after her diagnoses. If i can help you in anyway, please let me know here and I will send you my email.

thankyou, to be honest I have not really stopped crying since he went to school this morning, its the first time injecting with me not being around, plus I have been holding my feelings in since last Thursday. I know that we will have a new 'normal' now but its still a bit of a shock.

we have a fantastic Diabetes nurse (he is type 1 also) but I feel a bit daft asking really simple questions!

Tartyhighheals, how do you work it with school, does your DD keep an insulin pen at school or take one in each day? I hope that is not too nosey!
As a family we are just getting back to normal after a really crap 2009, my Father had bladder cancer and major surgery to remove it and have a urostomy bag, his mum/my nan then passed away half way through his treatment. Still, thats just me feeling sorry for myself!!
I know it is not an uncommon condition but I feel like I've been hit by a train. DS is just being fantastic, not phased by the needles or injecting at all.

I developed type 1 a few years ago. It must be even more difficult when it's your child. It will get easier though.

I swapped from injections to an insulin pump a few years ago, that may well be something your ds and you could consider for the future. They are less common in UK than elsewhere, mainly because of funding factors, but I have found it hugely beneficial.

You are both obviously still getting used to your new normal, perhaps this site might help, it's a US site but has some excellent information and forums etc I've used the "ask the diabetes team" a few times!

this site was also really helpful to me, it is an Australian site aimed at young adults, your son is prob. a bit young still but maybe it would be a useful insight for you about what may be ahead.

And you do know don't you that what is STILL ahead for him is a long healthy happy life in which he WILL be able to do pretty much all he wants if he puts his mind to it. T1 is a frightening diagnosis, but it will become his normal (albeit at times a very frustrating normal!)

It has helped me to acknowledge there are plenty of worse things to get. Particularly with modern treatment methods it is a manageable condition and will undoubtedly become more so with scientific breakthroughs in his lifetime.

I do wish you strength whilst you both come to terms with it all, and do understand how much you so wish you and especially he didn't have to get used to it.

Sorry to hear about your son. I did suspect it was probably T1 as I suggested in my earlier email. My two DCs both have it and switched to insulin pumps last year after several years of 4x injections a day.

Before that they used to have separate pens at home and at school ? at least that was one less thing they had to think about! They also had/have emergency supplies in the school office.

How has the school been? We have had some ?interesting? experiences with schools?

If you have any specific questions, please feel free to ask.

Sorry to hear it is type 1. I was diagnosed with it at aged 1, so have had it for 35 years. Ask away. The sillier the questions, the better !!
We are here to help and support you.

Spidermama has a boy of about that age with diabetes i think If you keep this bumped she will see it or CAT her I'm sure she won't mind and she is very well informed on this.Good luck xx

I think, hope I helped Spidermama when her son was diagnosed. WE had long threads about it. Help from nurses. Meeting other diabetic children.
I am sure it is a shock. But before you know it, you will adjust and manage.

Great minds oblom!

thread
think this was one of our threads.

agreed noddy

Thankyou all so very much.

The dietician is coming on Thursday, as yet I haven't been advised on diet.

Is it just a sensible low fat and low sugar diet?

Can he eat so called 'diabetic' chocolate or is better to just let him have a few squares of good quality dark such as Green and Blacks ( which he likes)?

Do you get a repeat Rx for glucose meter strips/needles/insulin from the GP?

will the insulin cause weight gain? DS is concerned about this.

so many questions, thankyou so much for your replies.

what changes in his blood glucose levels can I expect if he is ill with a cold or cough, or even a stomach bug?

I am not sleeping much as I am worried about him having a hypo during the night, how will I know?

I have read through the thread that Oblomov linked to and it was very helpful, and I think I can relate to the bit about 'mourning' for the loss af perfect health!

My DS makes me so proud as he has just got on with it and injects without batting an eyelid. The diabetes nurse is in school tomorrow so we will see what we come up with.

Think they basically suggest wholesome, high fibre low fat diet. before long you won't even need to carb count, consciously, it will be second nature.
I think, they recommend not denying yourself anything, just encorporating it into your diet.
its hard enough as it is. without, oh he can't come to birthday parties, oh he can't have cake.
i eat what i want when i want.
daibetic foods have high levels of saccarin, etc artifical sweetners. not sure about any other hospital, but imy mum was always advised against diabetic jam and chocolate. i ate easter eggs, cadburys same as my brothers. just a restricted amount. ate nutella, with the best of them
no link between insulin and weight gain as such. it is a tad harder for a daibetic to diet as it were.mind you i have never dieted. i just watch my weight.
hospital will give you all needles, strips that you need. and soon it will be on repeat prescription. as a diabetic all medicicnes and prescriptions are free. for life. even non diabetic stuff, say you needed stuff for asthma or something non diabetic related.

other q's ? ask away.

normally illness makes blood sugars shoot up. there is not so much damage with high blood sugars in the short term, ie on that day. whereas with low blood sugars, he could hypo. but high blood sugars are more damaging int he long term. bad circulation, leading to amputating limbs. eyesight loss. etc etc.
the most frightening thing is hypo. at night. or worse still when he's with people who don't know what to do/you don't trust them.
stress can cause diabetes to go mad. swinging from high to low. does in me.

but as it stabilises. you will learn. do a test before bedtime. and a middle of the night one if worried.
you may check on him to see alot of sweating. unable to rouse him, and not just him being deep sleeper !! maybe he will make noises. like a minor epeleptic fit ?
lucozade, hypo stop gell, glucagon injection if the worst comes to the worst. or call an ambulance.
i wake up from nearly every hypo i have ever had, not even knowing that it has happened. memory loss. its not ME that frightened, its the person who has to deal with it.
but take heart. its not nice. not cool. but we all get over it.

Diabetes has never stopped me doing anything. i travelled to many countries in the world. my mum instilled in me that this was 'a thing'.
Your son will flourish

I'm another type 1..have had it since i was in primary school...and like Oblomov it's not stopped me doing anything either! The more used to it you get!

I sometimes go hypo at night but i ALWAYS wake up, like my eyes ping open!

When i go hypo i sometimes don't get any symptoms other than it can make me behave really strangely, a bit like i'm drunk..oh and sometimes a bit aggressive..but usually i don't remember a thing afterwards!

I think my diabetes was more traumatic for my mum than it was for me!

Some children wake when they have a hypo, others don?t ? we have one of each category and yes, unfortunately, it does play havoc with your sleep patterns.

I?s reiterate what Oblomov says and test just before bed and again once in the middle of the night if you?re worried. In our experience, your DS will go straight back to sleep, it?s the parents who might not be so lucky . Definitely more traumatic for the parents!

Also, don?t let anyone tell you that your DS can?t do things. He can. My two both play sport most days, have been away on school (residential) trips, Brownie/Guide camps, sports camps abroad ? all without us. We?ve also travelled, including long-haul, gone on sailing holidays and so on.

I don?t believe insulin causes weight gain as such either. The only danger is when you?re chasing lows sugars so have to much sweet stuff to eat, go too high, correct with insulin etc. As long as you eat a balanced, sensible diet you can avoid getting into this vicious circle.