Be aware of signs of type 1 diabetes

[Guest guest]

Be aware of signs of type 1 diabetes

By JORDAN AMIS, HOUSTON CHRONICLE Nov. 7, 2010, 8:50PM

Hearing these words was one of the scariest moments of my life: " Your son has

type 1 diabetes. "

As moms we always try to anticipate and prepare for things that happen to our

kids, especially when it comes to their health. But a diagnosis of type 1

diabetes was something I was completely unprepared for. I now know that my

two-year-old son, Charlie, displayed some of the telltale signs of diabetes, and

I have since been on a mission to help educate other families so they can be

aware.

I had heard of type 1 diabetes but didn't really know anything about it. Having

type 1 diabetes means your body doesn't produce any insulin, which is needed to

break sugars down for energy.

The telltale signs include frequent urination, excessive thirst, lethargy, heavy

breathing, sudden vision changes, weight loss and fruity odor on the breath. You

can't prevent type 1 diabetes, but if you recognize the warning signs, you can

prevent an associated condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which

unfortunately Charlie had.

It all started last year when the day-care center called me at work to tell me

that Charlie was cranky and not acting like himself. That same day, I took him

to the doctor, who diagnosed him with just a cold and sent me off to get an

over-the-counter pain reliever.

The next morning, however, Charlie was not any better. He was gasping for

breath. His diaper was unusually full, and he had an odd fruity smell to his

breath. Worried, I decided to take Charlie back to the doctor. I am so glad that

I did.

Our doctor was so concerned that he immediately called for an ambulance to

transport us to Texas Children's Hospital for more specialized care. Once we got

there, a simple blood test confirmed that Charlie had type 1 diabetes.

His blood sugar was so high that he was in severe DKA and had to spend nine days

in the hospital while his condition stabilized.

At the time, all I knew about diabetes was that it had something to do with

insulin shots. It didn't even occur to me that Charlie could have it, or that it

would fundamentally change all of our lives forever. Luckily, the team at Texas

Children's Hospital as well as other local families with type 1 diabetics were

there to help us understand the complexities of the disease.

Charlie is now doing great, and is a happy, curious child who plays like any

other toddler.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that we got lucky. DKA is the leading cause of

death and disability in children with type 1 diabetes. But it doesn't have to

be. With awareness and earlier diagnosis, other families won't have to go

through the scare that we did.

That's why I'm helping the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation raise awareness

of the signs of type 1 diabetes through a new initiative called " T1D Aware. " As

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, it's a good time to get " T1D

Aware. " It could help save your child's life.

Amis lives in the Heights with her husband, , and two-year-old son,

Charlie. is an attorney with HCC Insurance Holdings and Jordan is a senior

manager with Accenture. They are actively involved with volunteering and

fundraising for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

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