Type 1/juvenile diabetes and/or celiac disease?

A

ABBAgirl

New member
Hi all! Sorry if I have missed this somewhere else.

My youngest daughter (age 10) was just diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. For those who don't know, this is very different from type 2 in that she will have to take insulin injections daily for the rest of her life, regardless of how well she manages her food intake. It is theorized that genetics and a virus trigger type 1/juvenile diabetes.

I am wondering if anyone else on here has type 1, or has a child with it. I am overwhelmed by all there is to learn as far as carb counting for her, on top of all insulin type/amount info.:leaving: She was also tested for celiac disease and we are awaiting results. I pray this is not the case, as diet modifications would be even more horrendous.

Any encouragement or experiential advice would be most welcome.:Angel_anim:

ABBA
 
ABBA hang in there I have a couple of type I friends and they are all able to live normal lives, once you and your daughter get a hang of what is required.

As a coeliac the changes to diet may seem overwhelming but they are not that bad and there are more and more gluten free food substitutes available.

It took me a little while to adjust to being a coeliac but now it is not a problem. Eating out can be an issue sometimes but many of the cafe's near me have coeliac friendly meals marked on their menus. I can't eat at the big evil chain restauraunts but that is no big loss :)
 
I posted this somewhere in a different thread, but...

My aunt has had Type 1 Diabetes for a long, long time and she's fine. It's not as bad you might think it is. You'll just have to check your daughter's blood a few times a day and give her insulin injections when it's appropriate. Obviously, that all depends on your daughter's individual body, so you'll have to talk to her doctor about that.

I wouldn't be too worried. Type 1 Diabetes doesn't ruin your life and it doesn't change a thing. Your daughter will be fine.
 
My mom has Type 1 diabetes. She is fine most of the time, but a few times she had to go to the hospital. So obviously, since this is a disease, it is not going to be easy all the time, even though it's not a very serious disease.

Unfortunately I don't know much about diabetes so there's not much advice I can give, besides speaking to a dietitian. I found which should be helpful.
 
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A good friend of mine was diagnosed with diabetes when she was 6. By the age of 8, she was able to keep an eye on her blood sugar levels, what she could and couldn't eat, and handle her own injections. Children adapt very quickly to situations like that and are usually able to handle it a lot easier than adults.

My friend's 33 now, and I just spoke to her on the phone about the diabetes. She says that yes, sometimes it can be a pain, having to think about what you can and what you can't eat, but she said that nowadays there are always alternatives to sugary things, stuff that diabetics can fit into their diet without any problems. She said that most of the time she lives a completely normal life and forgets about even having diabetes.

Not sure if this helps, but I hope so.
 
Thanks all for your encouraging replies. As it is still so new, it feels rather overwhelming. We are in daily contact with the pediatric endocrinologist who is telling us how much insulin to give throughout the day. It will maybe be easier when she gives us a sliding scale so that we can figure out on our own how much she needs based on her blood sugars, which are still very high.

We aren't allowed to send her back to school until the community nurse has been there and gone over our "action plan" and our daughter's needs with the principal and teacher, etc. That's fine with me, because her sugars are still so wonky that she is falling asleep in the middle of the day!

We are putting together "emergency kits" for the car, her classroom, and the school office. We also had to buy special medicine for home and school to be used in the event that she has slips into a coma, which is pretty freaky. Obviously we don't go anywhere ever again without her blood glucose monitor and emergency snacks or a cell phone.

Hanging in there and thankful for the support on this forum,:Angel_anim:
ABBAgirl
 
Abba-

I work at a Boys town, and am the main person dealing with all the fun dietary restrictions we have. My mom is also a nutritional director and she knows a ton of information on J.D.

Carbs are obviously going to be your main focus. Did your doctor discuss with you how many grams of carbs she can have at every meal?

If you have more specific questions, feel free to PM me. I would personally invest in an electronic food scale so that you can truly give her the right amount of carbs. It's great for measuring 'weird' foods, like your fruit and veggies. (Apple, corn on the cob, bread, etc.)

Carb counting seems really confusing at first, I was scared to death i was going to kill someone when I first took this job. But after a while, and reading guides online, you'll get the hang of it. The first year after diagnosis is the hardest, but after that first year, you will have a more refined knowledge.

Like I said, feel free to PM and any questions I don't know the answers to, I have a dietician I can ask!
 
Hang in there! I saw other posts about more and more things being sugar free and gluten free and safe for kids and they are right. I regularly give my children nutrition shakes, which are sugar free, gluten free and even lactose free. They still eat regular food, but I like to make sure they are getting all of their vitamins and minerals in a healthy, nutritious way. I use the shakes myself to help with weight loss and boosting my energy levels. As mothers we are strong, and we find a way to overcome challenges. I wish you all the best. :)
 
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