How We Found Out Gavin Has Diabetes...
It was my 25th birthday, and I was on the way to my mom's to visit with her, and for her to give me my bday present. Gavin wasn't quite breathing right. We thought it might just be a cold. When we got to my mom's, she immediately knew something wasn't right. She said, he smells sweet(that's a sign of ketones). We took him to the ER. His blood sugar was 522. They immediately started working on him. He was sent to the PICU for a day. We couldn't even spend the night in his room. The next 4 days he was in the pediatric ward while he battled ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis happens because in type 1 diabetes there body doesn't produce enough insulin, so if they are not receiving insulin, their body has to get glucose from somewhere, so it breaks down fat instead for energy. The by products of the fat breakdown are called ketones. These ketones are poisonous to the body, and life threatening.
If we had waited any longer, he would have lost him. His rapid breathing was a sign that he was on the way out the door. There were signs earlier but I just didn't put them together. For instance, he kept wetting through his diapers. I actually changed brands, and got plastic diaper covers to wear over top the diapers. He was sleeping more than he usually did. He was always asking for something to drink, and not wanting to eat much.
Gavin was 17 months...
Grayson's diagnosis:(he was 4)
Grayson had been drinking lots of juice boxes for a couple days. He was constantly thristy and constantly going to the restroom. For a little bit, I just thought it was because he was drinking so much. Then he started peeing the bed at night. Out of curiosity, I had my husband test him with Gavin's meter. He was hesitant as I'm always worried that Grayson could have diabetes too. However, he appeased me and tested Grayson. The meter read HI. That means his blood sugar is over 500 because our meter stops reading at 500. I immediately called Gavin's endocrinologist(the emergency pager) and she said to bring him into the ER. Sure enough, his blood sugar was at 925. He stayed two days in the hospital and now he is doing well...
Here are some signs of type 1 diabetes in children, but they also apply for adults..I just give this list for people to be aware so they don't have to go through what we did...
The signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes in children usually develop quickly, over a period of weeks. Look for:
Increased thirst and frequent urination
Extreme hunger
Weight loss (Gavin wasn't gaining any weight, and he still hasn't much to this day)
Fatigue (always tired)
Irritability or unusual behavior
Blurred vision
Yeast infection(Especially in females)
Gavin and Grayson are doing well, and receives insulin shots currently, but in the future we hope to get them insulin pumps.
