Six year old with Type 1 diabetes
March 29, 2016 11:40 AM Subscribe
My niece was just diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes so her life will change a bit; I'm looking for resources to help her family manage.
I found this previous AskMe, but it's from six years ago and there are likely updates that aren't covered there.
My niece is six; I have no plans to focus on the disease with her - keeping stuff as normal as possible is the order of the day. I've been stopping by the hospital to see her every chance I get and we read or color. I'd like to find some kid cookbooks for her and her older brother (he's nine) so they can make good food for themselves (ideally, low on the overt diabetes messaging to help it feel normal; I like the look of this one).
Also, can anyone recommend iOS apps to help her parents track/manage food/blood sugar? Would be ideal if they could auto-share data between devices so either parent can enter data and both can see it. I've been searching around but ancedata can be useful.
I found this previous AskMe, but it's from six years ago and there are likely updates that aren't covered there.
My niece is six; I have no plans to focus on the disease with her - keeping stuff as normal as possible is the order of the day. I've been stopping by the hospital to see her every chance I get and we read or color. I'd like to find some kid cookbooks for her and her older brother (he's nine) so they can make good food for themselves (ideally, low on the overt diabetes messaging to help it feel normal; I like the look of this one).
Also, can anyone recommend iOS apps to help her parents track/manage food/blood sugar? Would be ideal if they could auto-share data between devices so either parent can enter data and both can see it. I've been searching around but ancedata can be useful.
Best answer: I would recommend her parents get in touch with a local JDRF chapter, if that's possible. They should have a lot of resources for people in their position.
As for apps, if your niece gets set up with a Dexcom continuous glucose monitor, which is a pretty nifty device in my experience, Dexcom has an app that can share the glucose data on several other devices. This way, even when her parents are not in the same room/building/wherever, they can get the child's glucose readings remotely, which can be very helpful.
posted by chinston at 12:40 PM on March 29, 2016
As for apps, if your niece gets set up with a Dexcom continuous glucose monitor, which is a pretty nifty device in my experience, Dexcom has an app that can share the glucose data on several other devices. This way, even when her parents are not in the same room/building/wherever, they can get the child's glucose readings remotely, which can be very helpful.
posted by chinston at 12:40 PM on March 29, 2016
Is your niece located near you? I see you're in the South Bay and I'd recommend activities with the Diabetes Youth Foundation. A good friend of mine was a camper there as a kid and is now an adult volunteer/counselor. Their website also has a lot of great resources, both national and local.
If you have specific South Bay questions I can answer, please memail and I can check in with my friend for her recommendations!
posted by komlord at 2:07 PM on March 29, 2016
If you have specific South Bay questions I can answer, please memail and I can check in with my friend for her recommendations!
posted by komlord at 2:07 PM on March 29, 2016
Her parents might find this blog interesting: http://sixuntilme.com/
The name comes from the author who was 6 herself when diagnosed. Her perspective is obviously as an adult looking back, but she does discuss her childhood a bit.
posted by kitten magic at 3:57 PM on March 29, 2016
The name comes from the author who was 6 herself when diagnosed. Her perspective is obviously as an adult looking back, but she does discuss her childhood a bit.
posted by kitten magic at 3:57 PM on March 29, 2016
Best answer: I am so sorry to hear about this. I would suggest getting the JDRF's "Bag of Hope," which includes a bunch of resources, including Rufus, the Bear with Diabetes.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 4:04 PM on March 29, 2016
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 4:04 PM on March 29, 2016
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When Your Child Is Diagnosed with Diabetes: Parents’ Questions for the Health Care Team
MedlinePlus page on Diabetes in Children
They should especially consider ordering an Everyday Wisdom Kit developed specifically for parents' of children with type 1 diabetes.
I don't know much about apps, but there are some reviews here that you might find useful.
posted by galvanized unicorn at 12:05 PM on March 29, 2016