New FC with Diabetes

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=lambeausam]lambeausam[/url]. Couple of ideas - First make sure he has a method to journal his readings and injections. Second if you haven't been provided a needle container, make one out of a small coffee can with a plastic lid that has a hole/slit just big enough to deposit the needles. This is especially important since you have little ones in the house. Also, nutrition is a key component - meals and snacks need to be consistently spaced throughout the day. I realize that he may be a "growing boy," but keep taps on his food intake so that he doesn't binge or overeat - this will throw off his blood sugar. If his meds don't have to be refridgerated, make an extra kit that stays in your vehicle. Finally, if he doesn't have an Medical Alert bracelet get one for him. If he does, have the company update his information, such as address and phone number, to reflect his new location. Hope this helps!

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=jolean12]jolean12[/url]. Yesterday he was picked up from school and so we have a copy of the chart from school and are making one for home. We went to the doctors office that we use for all our kids and they are getting us a sharps container. I am trying to find out his doctors name so we can get in touch with him because I really no nothing about it. Although I know that diet is integral, I am going to meet with a dietician, nutricianist, at the hospital, either this afternoon or in the am.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Wendi5000]Wendi5000[/url]. Contact any medical doctor that you have access to ASAP and tell them you have a foster child with diabetes and need a crash course in what it's all about. Also be sure to talk to your child abotu his condition. He can probably explain a lot of things to you that you would never think of (because it's not something any of us deal with on a day-to-day basis). Ask the child what his usual eating habbits are, etc. and things like that. Diabetes is a serious condition but if managed properly it is rarely dangerous. It sounds like the child knows how to manage his disease already so the main thing is to get you "up to speed" on knowing what is going on. One thing you want to talk to the child and/or a doctor about ASAP (not to alarm you, it's usually easily managed), is how to tell if he is having an insulun reaction and how to handle it. On a final note, if the child has been in foster care for any length of time, or if he was in a home that neglected him, he is probably used to taking care of himself. Knowing that you are interested in learning about his condition and being there for him to talk to about it and help him manage it so that he can have some time to just be a kid will probably mean a lot to him if that is the case.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=jolean12]jolean12[/url]. We went to a crash course and it was great. He only ended up staying with us for a week before he was sent back home. It was great info and something we may need to know in the future. Thanks for the advise though, it may come in handy anyway:)

Hi just wanted to let everyone know I place a diabetes poll over on another thread. I would gratly appreiciate anyone associated to diabetes to answer. Thank You