We are new at this

[Xavier's mom]

Hello all. My husband and I just found out that our 5 year old little boy has type one. We just found out on the 16th of December. We are still trying to wrap our brains around it. He has been really good. Seems to understand it fairly well. What I was wondering is for New Year's eve....we are going to a party as a family. How is this going to affect him? Does it mean he can't eat anything after his usual bedtime snack? Will his being up half the night change his readings? If anyone can offer some advice and set my mind at ease, it would be great. Thanks everyone.

[nantomsuethom]

Hi Xavier's mom. Welcome to the forums. This is a great place for information and support. :thumbsup:

Even though you are new at this, one special day/night (according to our endo) is ok to have a little extra snack. We do this occassionally and get back on track the next day.

My son, Thomas, was diagnosed on Sept. 24th 2003. It was a week before his 10th birthday. When we went for his 2nd visit we told his endo that we didn't have a party for him because we didn't think he could have cake. That's when she told us it was ok once in a while and that we should not take that away from him.
He is now using a pump and has a little more freedom as to what and when he can eat.

[am1977]

Hi and welcome to the Forums! :)

I know you must feel very overwhelmed right now, probably like information overload. I'm sure your son probably senses this too, but take comfort in the fact that diabetes is something that can be managed and your son can live a long, healthy, and happy life, if he takes care of himself and controls his diabetes. Controlling means watching what he eats (particularly carbs, b/c they impact blood sugar the most), exercising, and testing his blood sugar often. He needs to keep his blood sugar as close to normal as possible....not always easy, but by testing often you can correct highs and protect him from going too low as well.

As for your questions, I think Nan did a great job answering them. New Year's Eve, and other special occasions call for a little flexibility. I think anytime there's a holiday or something like that, it will impact his blood sugar levels, but that's to be expected. That does not mean that he shouldn't be able to enjoy these special days, it just means that he may have to test a little more or be given more insulin, but he can have an extra snack and stay up late, just like everyone else ;) .

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. I know we will try to help you if we can. I have a question for you, how is your son handling his diagnosis? I know 5 is young and he probably doesn't fully comprehend everything quite yet, but he might actually understand more than we think. I hope he is doing well.

It's a pleasure to meet you again. :) Hope to see you around.

[mark-TN]

I don’t wish to be a pessimist or a kill-joy here; I’m just going to try to be realistic. I would suggest taking a cautious approach to this first "special occasion". I think it is dangerous for us to say so go ahead and let him eat a little extra and just cover it with insulin, etc. You are very new to this and I would ask your doctor before you make any changes in his regiment. There is a large learning curve that you must go thru. You will find out over time how "extra insulin" and "extra food" will effect his blood sugar. There is so much that effects how these extras will play out in your son that it is my strong opinion that you should consult his doctor before making any changes at this time. I'm sure your doctor will agree that some flexibility on special occasions is ok; I just feel that you should get his advice on exactly what to do instead of relying on general information from a message board.

Mark

[mg_2204]

Hello Xavier's mom and welcome! I can't offer you advice as I am T2 and not on insulin. But wanted to welcome you to this wonderful forum. Take good care now,

[portok]

Hello Xavier`s mom and welcome.
I`m really new on this forum and a year with diabetes T1 but i can tell you that this guys on the forum are the best and you will always find here the support and the information you need.
About the New year`s night i don`t think that staying up a little late will do any harm but i don`t know what to tell about the menu. Because i have a lot to learn i normally stick to my diet. :nerd:
Good luck!

[Belinda]

Welcome Xavier's mom...as for the advice on eating extra's everyone has a good point...be flexable but also doctors advice...since you new at this and your son is still in "Honeymoon" stages you will need to monitor it closesly. Maybe for his evening snack you can substitute some of the goodies from the party. As for staying up late...how late does a 5 year old stay up? This will effect him by not wanting to get up the next morning to eat etc...but as for lack of sleep that doesn't effect my BS at all.

[HeatherP]

Welcome Xavier's Mom, it's nice to meet you. I don't have any experience managing Diabetes in anyone but myself but I wanted to say hi anyway. This is a great place to ask questions and learn, so jump in when you're ready!

Happy New Year,
HeatherP

[Lynne]

I know that adjustment is so difficult, but perhaps this will help. Once you learn more about the hidden carbs in food, the whole family might engage in a modified diet. If your child has diabetes, one of you may show signs at some point and your other children are at risk. Such adjustments are best made with the help of a diabetes educator.

But there are a few thing that might help:

-Splenda replacement for all refined sugars
-Carb-aware milk for your son
-Low-carb snacks for everyone
-Substitution of high-glycemic foods for everyone.
-Parties and celebrations with low-carb foods.

Low carb foods can be luxurious if you understand the dynamics. Many diets use this approach and can be searched on the internet, and most libraries have helpful books, with recipes. Check our recipes here, too.

There's a lot to learn, but it could pay off for everyone.
If you can prepare him low/no-carb snacks for tonight (cheese, celery and other veg, cream cheese) and keep VERY close to his diet you'll all sleep better. This is not going away and may be your first family experience with diabetes.

Good luck on your journey, we're all on this one together.

[Dewey]

Welcome to the forums, Xavier's mom! Sorry to have to meet under these conditions. I think others have given helpful hints for your New Year's celebration...Personally, I find that what may work for one, doesn't work for another, so I'm somewhat apprehensive to make suggestions for your son. However, I've noticed that checking glucose prior to a night time snack and approximately a half hour after (the snack) will help determine any actions that may need to be taken. When I was diagnosed at 9 years of age (and in the hospital), my doctor gave me a carob chocolate bar (a natural, less sweet form of chocolate) as a "birthday cake" (as my tenth birthday was spent there). You can find things like carob chocolate and such at a natural food store such as Wild Oats, Alfalfa's, etc... I know it's new to you, but asking questions like this and learning from others (along with reading from online sources or books) will help you in taking great care of your son. Here's hoping your celebration is a great one, and that 2005 will bring brighter days to all! :thumbsup:

[Xavier's mom]

Thanks for all your responses. We like to get as much information about things before we do anything. I'm glad that you guys are cautious about giving advice. It means that we need to be careful and know that there is no "right" answer. Since he is very good at understanding what is happening and seems to accept it, I don't think we will have too much of a problem telling him what he can and cannot have. It is also really good to know that we aren't alone. Thanks again and have a great new year's eve.

[buzzborne]

I just wanted to say Welcome to the forums, and hope that tonight is not too stressful for you, or your son, let us know how it went?

Don't hesitate to ask for any help!

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