Juvenile Diabetes Self Management

[cnemae]

My 8 year old was diagnosed with Type 1 at 16 months old.  As a bright, fun loving third grader, I'm interested in what other parents are doing to insure proper diabetes management during school hours.  She has been on a pump for almost 4 years and suffers the "highs and lows" that we, as parents, hate to see.

Lets find a cure....quickly!!!!!!

[JDRF-Team-wak]

Hi there, as to how much management an 8 yr old should do is up to the child and the parent.  Our doctor believes that the parent should know how to do everything, but to let the child lead the way as to how much responsibility they want.

I am very lucky that at the age of eight my daughter wanted the responsibly to do as much herself as possible. (Even now at the age of 10 I get asked to do it).  At eight Jess was doing her own reservoir, site changes, basically everything herself.  She always verifies what the bolus wizard or her dosages with an adult, but she does every thing for the most part herself. She feels it is her disease and that she needs to take care of it.  There are plenty of times though that she will say, I am not in the mood to do it can you or dad do it. That is ok with us.

One thing that I feel has helped Jess be more self sufficient in her diabetes is diabetes camp. She has gone for years now and each time she comes home she takes on more responsibly at her own pace.

[cnemae]

How much "management" of their own diabetes should be expected from an "average" 8 year old?  Mine can take her own tests and infuse herself AFTER an adult tells her how much to give herself.  Looking to see what others parents face with this issue.........Thanks

[JDRF-Team-wak]

I am not a physician, but the mom of a type one diabetic.    I understand where you are coming from with this question, when my daughter was diagnosed she was in a private school that did not always do the proper things when it cam e to her diabetes, No matter how much I tried to educate the nurses.   We were able to move so that we were in a better school system with nurses that were more knowledge able in diabetes.   Yes I actually interviewed the nurses in the schools, before I went out with the realtor.  If the nurse was not willing to do the correct things I was not moving to that area.  We were lucky to move to a system where all the nurses are very knowledgeable in diabetes and are proactive in the care of the kids.

Another thing that has helped is to have a 504 plan in place and to make sure that the school is following the plan and if they are not them to take it to a higher level.   Remember we need to be advocates for our kids.

The other thing that I would recommend is that if there are a lot of fluctuations see if it is related to school activity and contact your endocrinologist or diabetic team to adjust you daughter insulin dosages or rates.  If it is not related to school I would still fax the doctor her numbers and see if she needs to be adjusted in rates, or ratios.  We do this when we see that there are a lot of fluctuations for our daughter.

For help with the 504 plan there are several web sites:
www.childrenwithdiabetes.com

www.jdrf.org

I hope this helps. Please visit us again