June 25, 2002
Daily Care
Question from Rockville, Indiana, USA:
Our son, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 18 days old and also has Down Syndrome, is on a pump, but nothing reacts the way the doctors think it should. His blood sugars are 45-350 mg/dl [2.5-19.4 mmol/L] now, and we are still working on getting him lower. We can not give him the corrective doses for food or he bottoms out, and that goes the same for correcting his blood sugar level. He doesn’t react the same as every one else and it really stumps all his doctors.
We just guess on his corrections and hope it isn’t too much. He has to drink Pediasure because food doesn’t seem to work the way that it should also. Do you have any suggestions or ideas to help with his treatment? Do you know any place to network with to better maintain his levels?
Answer:
Neonatal diabetes is very tough so I’m not so sure that whoever is managing this youngster has the “right” basal rate and bolus mix. This may be a case to use the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System monitor and see if that helps identify a pattern otherwise being missed.
A second opinion may also be worthwhile with another diabetes doctor or another diabetes team if things are not going well. Second opinions are always reasonable under such circumstances.
SB
