My nephew (janobonano)

Of course Jan.  Even tho this is a difficult situation it can be managed, and on the plus side, at such a young age, it will be easier to teach him the eating habits that have to become part of his life.

Your family will be in our prayers.

Sending prayers from RI!

My Dad (who has lived with me the past 12 years) was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at about age 66.   Once he came to live with me (he has dementia and a host of other issues) I had to learn about it, as I am the one responsible for meal planning.  The training courses are fantastic!  I highly recommend that your sister and her hubs take as many courses as they can find; and retake them each year as available.  I took them 3 times before it could all sink in.  (Dad came with me of course, but he didn't understand much of it).  Yes there are differences between Type 1 and Type 2, but the training need is key.

A support group will also be very helpful, although they may be too overwhelmed to attend for 3 or 4 months (or more).  Dad and I still regularly attend a Support Group.

There are also online forums, if that is the sort of thing they do.

 Finally, if the family can, they may want to investigate adopting a dog trained to help alert them to low blood sugars.  There is a huge waiting list for these dogs, but the benefits are enormous; low blood glucose can happen during the night.  The dog sleeps in the child's bedroom, and wakes the parents; gives the parents peace of mind and they are able to sleep.  Of course during the day the dog is also able to alert the parents of low blood glucose levels.   For a 2 year old this would be a great thing for the parents.  Dad was too old to even qualify for the program.  Nevertheless, Marlin alerted me and saved Dad's life at least 3 times!  Woke me in the middle of the night. 

Lots of things for them to learn about, it will be quite overwhelming for them at the start. The American Diabetes Association is extremely useful and very helpful.

Janice, sending strong vibes to your nephew, your sister, and everyone in the family.  I can only imagine the shock of getting that news.  One of my oldest friends found out a couple years ago that her pre-teen daughter has Type 1 Diabetes, and it was very scary at first.  But she is doing great after getting through that initial tough transition.  DH's niece is married to a guy who has it, too (he's in his early 20's and was diagnosed long ago).  He's stronger and healthier than the majority of people I know who are his age!  I think the diet and exercise regimen he follows actually makes him that way.

Like Glenda said, it's a condition that can be managed, and thankfully, the treatments and everything have improved so much compared to years ago.  I had two friends during my school years (many moons ago) that were diabetic.  They had to test their blood everyday in much less convenient and comfortable ways than what people can do now.  They also had to give themselves shots once or twice a day, but my understanding is now there are options such as a pump so needles aren't always involved. 

I'm sure things are scarier and less certain with such a young child, but hopefully Simon and his family have a good circle of medical professionals, family, and friends who will help with the adjustment to the whole situation.  Hugs for the little guy!

 Thanks for the info and support, everyone.

Freedom, would that be considered a service dog? They live in an apartment and can't have pets. I wonder how much it would cost. I'll look into it more.

I second the suggestion Freedom made about finding local support groups and such.  I didn't even think of that ---- it's a great idea.  Our local hospital has a Community Education department, and they have lots of groups for people with various conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, etc.) that require special lifestyle changes.  Not only are the groups for "moral support," but they also offer things like cooking classes to help people find ways to maintain their proper diet, whether it be low-salt, low sugar, whatever is appropriate.  We have a friend who went to a group geared for people who had heart bypass surgery, and he found it valuable.  Obviously, these classes wouldn't be for children, but your sister might find them helpful.

If your sister is concerned about the financial hardships Simon's diagnosis might cause, the hospital may also be able to help her find some other local resources that can help.  I imagine support groups are free, but there may be other services or groups that offer low-cost arrangements for some things.  It might be worth checking to see what her local hospital offers -- maybe even contact the hospital's Social Services department for suggestions.  That department here helps people find housing for ailing elderly parents, for example, so I'm guessing they can field some questions your sister might have.

Thank goodness she discovered it NOW.  Yes, it will change their lives -- but he'll learn to be responsible for his own levels even as a youngster. 

Will certainly keep Simon and his family in my prayers!

 Best wishes for little Simon.

I know in PA, a child with a disability, regardless of income, qualifies for state sponsored health insurance (medical assistance). I believe Medical Assistance exists in most, if not all states. You still keep your private insurance if you have that, but it can help to  get some things at a lower cost or with a lower co-pay. If I recall correctly, you said you were supposed to  go to MN, so I will assume that is what state they are in. This is the page for MA in MN http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_CONVERSION&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&Redirected=true&dDocName=id_006254

Good thoughts for Simon and his family.  Hopefully they can get the support they need to manage this quite effectively!  ((hugs))

griffinej5

I know in PA, a child with a disability, regardless of income, qualifies for state sponsored health insurance (medical assistance). I believe Medical Assistance exists in most, if not all states. You still keep your private insurance if you have that, but it can help to  get some things at a lower cost or with a lower co-pay. If I recall correctly, you said you were supposed to  go to MN, so I will assume that is what state they are in. This is the page for MA in MN http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_CONVERSION&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&Redirected=true&dDocName=id_006254

Jen - I was going to post the same thing!.  I know Riley falls into this category.  Everyone qualifies, we don't use it since I have insurance and the premium for our income category is really high, but they are there to help. For your nephew since they will need ongoing supplies it's a good resource.  They should have told them immediately but they throw so much information at you.  Also if they decline now and what to get it later it's there I think until he's 18.

Jan - I am so sorry.  This has to be such a shock.  My niece was diagnosed at 8 or 9 and it was a hard adjustment for everyone.  Regardless, just having to do all those tests, etc. is such a stress.  That's the age Riley was diagnosed with JRA and you just keep thinking why is this happening, etc.  Hugs to your sister and her family.

I know nothing about the diagnosis  . . .  but am sending all the good vibes I have out to little Simon.

Deb W.

Sending good thoughts for Simon and the family. And, yeah Mom for paying attention and knowing something wasn't quite right. Early diagnosis is so important. As others have said, there is a lot of support and help for families. (And, there are even college scholarships specifically for kids with Type I diabetes!) In addition to all the other support folks have suggested, the family should also be able to get connected with a diabetes educator--a specific person they can call/go to any time they have questions, need help, etc. (((hugs)))

I have a neice that was diagnosed in her 1st year of age.  She is now 14 and I can tell you, she has educated us on many occasions.  At age 14 she is so disiplined with her diet.  She has explained that growing up with Type 1 she doesnt miss things that she never had.  In other words, people tend to think that people with Diabetes are being deprived of certain culinary pleasures :)...but they really eat better than most of us and really dont miss anything because they didnt start those bad habits early on.   She has been on a pump for a year or so now, it was expensive to start out...grrrrrrrr...that's another story, but it has given her alot of freedom to be more active and level with her diet.

Of couse my thoughts and prayers will be with them.  BTW: I saw a special on these special dogs once.  It featured a lady that for some time didnt realize her own dog was alerting.  That dog in turn saved her life more than once by alerting her family.  My husband will often not realize his sugar is low, but I can usually tell before he does by how he is acting.. It totally makes sense that a canine companion would also sense this change.