Anyone know anything about Juvenile Diabetes?

I only found out which my 5 year aged has diabetes, how do u have a composition simpler for her?

Suggestions:


1. My first son had a form of diabetes called hypoglycemia. It was hard for both my husband and i, but especially for our son because he couldn't eat certain foods.

   You've probably heard of diabetes, but you might not know exactly what it is. Your body changes most of the food you eat into glucose (a form of sugar). Insulin is a hormone that allows the body to use this sugar for energy. Diabetes is a disease that occurs when a person's body doesn't make enough insulin or can't use insulin properly.

   First, learn all you can about diabetes. The more you know, the more you can help. Encourage your relatives to learn about diabetes, too

   Second, be sympathetic. It can be scary at first for people to find out they have diabetes. Your daughter may be frustrated with the changes she has to make. Tell your daughter that you understand how she feels. But don't let your daughter use these feelings as an excuse for not taking care of her diabetes.

   If you eat meals together, eat the same foods your daughter eats. Avoid buying foods she isn't supposed to eat. People with diabetes should generally follow the same advice for healthy eating that everyone else should follow: Eat less fat and fewer sugary foods. Instead, choose a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and fish.

   Learn how to recognize signs of potential problems. Learn the symptoms of a high blood sugar level (called hyperglycemia) and a low blood sugar level (called hypoglycemia). Understand that when your daughter is very cranky or has a bad temper, her blood sugar level may be too high or too low. Rather than arguing, encourage your daughter to check the blood sugar level and take steps to correct the problem with her.

   Good luck!

2. Stem cell research into such complaints as diabetes is progressing at a rapid pace. A major undertaking is at this time going on in the Children's Hospital at Great Ormond Street, London. Without raising your hopes too high, I will confidently predict that a 'cure', exactly what that will entail, will be ready within five years.

3. Yes, I have had juvenile type one diabetes for almost eight years now; I was twelve when I was diagnosed. One of the most important things that you can do as a parent is to get the whole family involved. She's only five now but as she gets older, she will want more resposibility; like she'll want to start giving herself insulin shots instead of you doing it for her. That's a good thing, but never ever think that because now she's starting to take control of her illness you guys (the parents) can relax. I was the only diabetic in my family, and almost as soon as I got out of the hospital it was like I was on my own. Always encourage her to make healthy choices, and the best way to do this is to get the rest of your family to start eating right and excercising. Diabetes is a life changing thing, and I'm really sorry that a five year old has to go through this, but think of it this way, your daughter is only five years old and she has her whole life ahead of her. If you can teach her good eating habits now and how important it is to stay healthy, she can live a longer healthier life than a non-diabetic because she is so young you can enstall these values in her at a young age and they will stay with her for the rest of her life. I know this is scary, but in her and my life time they will find a cure. They are using embryonic stem cells and those cells are specialized, and for a type one diabetic those cells turn into beta cells (the cells responsible for producing insulin), there's still a lot of things that can go wrong, but were getting closer. Also, what kind of insulin is your daughter taking. If it's humalin and NPH, I strongly suggest you take her off of that. I took that for almost six years, and everyday felt like hell, the constant highs and lows and always having to eat at the same time everyday even when you're not hungry. The best kind of insulin is either an insulin pump or an insulin pen, they both act like a real pancreas, almost and you have so much better control of your blood sugars and hardly ever run high or low. You have to count your carbs. and follow an insulin to carb. ratio. With the pen you take like three to four shots a day, but it is totally worth it, and the needle is so thin it dosen't even hurt. Talk to your endocrinologist about it, your daughter will have a lot more freedom.

4. My son, 6, was diagnosed when he was 10 months old. Making the transition was easy for me, since he really wasn't old enough to know any different. I feel like the biggest challenges I run into is when he is hungry and it is not snack time- however he can have lunchmeat, cheese, or anything without carbs. Also, when they are at daycare, preschool, or school, there will be occassions where the kids will have a special snack and they may not be able to have it – you can keep a special snack (like orange tic tacs) at school for them, or allow them to have the snack knowing that you will have to give them extra insulin at the next insulin dosage. Believe it or not, my endo recommends allowing sweets from time to time – but in moderation! Otherwise, you may have a child who sneaks snacks since they may be deemed forbidden. Remember, it is the amount of carbs not sugar that you need to watch. The more sugar in a food, the quicker their blood sugar will rise and then drop. Look for a juvenile diabetes support group – that way she will know she isn't alone and you will find other parents who are willing to help you out. In the beginning, things can be pretty difficult. We have been dealing wit this for almost 6 years and my son got sick a month ago and we called our doc about 5 times! Good luck with everything! A great website is:
   http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com

5. My brother has it has since he was 14 and now 21 he is a rebellious diabetic help your son now so he can except it and have a normal life the longer he doesnt the harder it will be. Good Luck!

6. There is a great book — The Everything Parents Guide to Juvenile Diabetes. Get it. I found it was like a friend (smart friend) talking to me and helping me

7. A newly diagnosed type 1 child, I do not envy you! Some places to look for support are: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, JDRF. They have a Bag of Hope and mentor program, where they will team you with another family who can help guide you to support groups and local activities. Families on our area have gather at various places and a yahoo support group. You are welcome to join ours, NVADM1 in the yahoo groups area.

   There are parent websites: Childrenwithdiabetes.org is a great website filled with lots of information.
   There is healthcentral.com/diabetes that has both a pediatric endo who blogs regularly as well as parents, who contribute regularly and you can send emails and post comments to blogs and bloggers usually respond. There is also juvenation.org which is owned by JDRF, and has support groups and forums.

   I have been living with diabetes since I was 5 and I am 45 this fall. I am healthy and vibrant and with no complications! This will get easier!

   Best,
   Ann Bartlett