Friend's DD 11 newly diagnosed type 1

[SippingSipsmith]

Hi

My closest friend's daughter was diagnosed with type 1 last week.

Any tips on how I can help them would be greatly appreciated. I keep checking in but hard to not feel like I'm bugging them.

I want to help so badly anyway that I can so if anyone has any ideas who has been through it themselves then that would be great.

Due to Easter the diabetes support team only went to the house today and said they wouldn't be able to train the school until mid/end of May.

Are there any great resources anyone can give me so I can pass on? I've got her to add herself to a Facebook group for similar parents and have suggested Diabetes UK helpline. She's obviously go consumed with readings and injections right now I thought it would help for me to gather some resources together.

Thanks!!

When my child was first diagnosed, I was in shock. My healthy child had gone, and their future was irrevocably altered. Whenever I ate anything I felt sad and guilty that I could do it without thinking whereas my child had to weigh it out, test and inject. I bought a couple of books but was too overwhelmed to read them, and besides, some of the information is terrifying.

So, follow her lead. She may not be able to take much in at the moment. Avoid telling her everything will be fine - I mean, you absolutely do get used to it, but it's never going to be ideal. Listen to her, let her tell you what's frightening her. Try not to make any assumptions. It's a very complex condition and people have individual responses to particular foods or activities.

In the longer term she might find these books useful:
For practical carb counting: Carbs & cals / Chris Cheyette & Yello Balolia
From the perspective of someone who has T1 but is also a doctor: Diabetes through the looking glass / Dr Rachel Besser

Making contact with other people with T1 is very helpful so you're already on the right track there!

The JDRF have some great resources and info. They have free information packs you can order if newly diagnosed (ones for children or adults).They have discovery days and support groups too.
https://jdrf.org.uk/information-support/

Suggest she joins a Facebook support group for other parents - Parents of Children with Type 1 in the uk is very supportive.

It's a very complex condition and people have individual responses to particular foods or activities

100% agree with Maddie's advice here. Two of mine have it and their responses to different forms of proteins and carbohydrates are completely different. Your friend, initially, and later her DD will need to figure out how her body reacts and become an expert in her own diabetes and how it responds to different foods, different forms of exercise, stress etc. Lots of (well-meaning) medical people don't really know what they are talking about.

If it helps to have a positive story, we always encouraged our two with Type I to believe they could do anything – one now has a career in sport, does seriously hardcore physical training and works abroad regularly; the other has 2 degrees and is currently travelling on the other side of the world while arranging for her diabetes supplies to be shipped to her when she needs more.

As for how you can help, I would say in all honesty be a shoulder to cry on, and a good listener when your friend wants to have a moan. That way she doesn't have to do those things in front of her DD.

Thanks for the replies.

I think the best thing I can do is just be there like you've all said. I've read up on a fair bit so we understand this new language they're now talking which is helpful.

I had them all over on Sunday for coffee and did a platter of free food snacks - was really pleased with what I managed to find in my cupboards like Almonds.

It's hard for them at the moment as the little one is really up and down with her levels and lots of phones to the emergency number but they said it will calm down in time.