Just a few questions.....

[Bsbllmom]

Ok I read the thread about waking up during lows. I didn't realize that you could get so low at night. So what do I tell my son to look for? He is 11, I don't get up at night to test him. The doctor said that I only need to test him at breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime. I couldn't sleep at all last night wondering if he was going to go too low.

Also he has been wetting the bed at night. Last night he didn't but the 3 nights before he did. Is that normal?

What do I do to keep his spirits high? He is doing really well but I'm affraid that it hasn't sunk in yet. Do I find a support group now for him or do I just wait and see if he continues on the way he is?

I'm sure I can think of a million more questions but for now that is it. :D

Thanks
Cheryl

[right2fight]

Hi Cheryl, I too am a Mom and we have been dealing with diabetes for 6 years now. We were told from the get go, to test at bedtime and as long as his # was above 100 let him go to bed. I guess it depends on his insulin regimen and whether or not he snacks before bed. My son wakes up and treats himself if needed, but so far no horrible episodes during the night. I'm sure you will get some good advice here, but that's our story.

A support group can't hurt and he'll let you know if he likes it. If he's wetting the bed, his #'s are probably high and you should check for ketones.

When was he diagnosed and what is his regimen. Feel free to ask any questions, it is so hard learning and protecting your child, but it does become second nature. You're definitely in the right place here on this forum, nice people who are helpful and many have a lot of experience with diabetes.

Best Wishes,
Margaret

[kgm0612]

Cheryl...........When I'm low during the night, I usually wake up in a sweat and have a terrible headache. I am a type 1 pumper and I prefer my BS to be over 120 when I go to bed.

It wouldn't hurt to join a support group. Call your local hospital's diabetes center and ask them if they have one or could refer you to one.

Also, I agree with right2fight in that your son's BS is probably high and that's why he is wetting the bed. Maybe you could test him a couple of times during the night to see where his blood sugars are at.

Good Luck!

Karen

[samsmom]

Testing him is the only way to find out what is going on in the middle of the night and to be able to see what you can do about it.......I know that at my son's endo wants the younger kids (under 6 and on injections) to go to bed over 155....the bg limit changes as they get older......I have caught many lows in the middle of the night and there really is no magic time to test during the night either...I know a lot of endos say 2am but really a low could happen at any time...trust your instincts, you will know what to do and what is best for your kid....

shannon

[HollyB]

HI there,

There is quite an animated thread in "Parents" about whether to check older kids at night and when to have them do it themselves.

Here is when we check our son:

1) periodically (every two weeks at first, when we change his doses now) just to see how his long-term insulin or basal is doing at night. Since your son is wetting the bed, a couple of night checks (I'd vary the times, say 2 am one night and 4 am the other) will tell you if he's running too high through the night. Same thing if he's getting too much insulin at night and going low.

2) if he still has a fair bit of active insulin working when he goes to bed. If your son takes insulin with his bedtime snack, it will keep working for 3.5-4.5 hours. When Aaron eats a big (huge) snack right before bed he asks me to test him at the 3-4 hour mark to make sure he didn't "overshoot". Since your son has been recently diagnosed he may not need insulin for his bedtime snack, so you wouldn't have this worry.

3) If he's had a problem with repeated lows that day.

4) If he's had a super-active day that might continue to drop his blood sugar into the night.

5) If he's dramatically high at bedtime and has to take a correction dose -- again, to make sure the high is coming down AND that it hasn't gone to far the other way.

Sounds like a lot and on certain weeks it is but overall we probably average about 1 night check a week.

As for what to tell your son to watch for, I don't know if you CAN "watch for" something in your sleep. You could certainly remind him though that if he wakes up feeling low or "weird" he needs to treat that (and call you for help if he needs it), not roll over and go back to sleep.

[Ailsa]

"What do I do to keep his spirits high? He is doing really well but I'm affraid that it hasn't sunk in yet. [/QUOTE]

Kids are a lot more accepting than adults. He wont worry about it nearly as much as you will, but it never hurts to join a support group. He'll get some good tips off the other kids.

Re the night lows, that will depend to a fair extent on what insulin he is using?
Since switching to Lantus I almost never have night time lows As someone else suggested he may be too high. I would definately test him next time he wets the bed. I assume he wakes then? He would have to be going very high for that to happen though & if youre happy with his test through the day that seems unlikely.
Only one way to find out I'm afraid.