advice for mom of child with symtoms?

[lisalotsamom]

What advice would you give this mom? She's a type 1.5 diabetic herself, so is very familiar with diabetes signs, and info, and sees an endo for her own care, but he doesn't see children.
2yo little girl who is suddenly this week drinking lots and lots of fluids. Several cups of water and milk during the night, many more during the day, asks repeatedly for more to drink. She's been urinating more than usual, but not a huge amount like some kids at diagnosis. She's always been on the small side, and has had trouble gaining weight since infancy.
The mom checked her at home with her own meter and had readings ranging from 170 right after eating to 159 2 hours after a meal.
Got her into the ped today and was basically blown off.....told that unless there are urine ketones, there is no diabetes (kid couldn't pee right then, so she took in a sample later and results will be back tomorrow). The ped then lectured the mom on how kids with diabetes *always* are very, very sick and listed all of the DKA symtoms.
I'm worried for her, and know that many people have had kids diagnosed before full-blown DKA hits, and that is much preferable to the alternative nightmare we experienced with our Tessa.
What would you advise her to do?? They live in the Baltimore area.

[Tori's Mom]

I guess I would see what the lab tests show at this point depending on which tests they did. If it was only urine the results could be inconclusive anyway. The BG levels noted are not within normal but at least are not at crisis levels to where I would not wait for the lab tomorrow. If no satisfactory answers from the lab I would hightail it to a different physician who would take this seriously and do further testing to include a blood draw.

[Mama2H]

Find a different ped that is willing to have tests run. She needs to ask for HbA1c, C-peptide, and Islet cell antibodies. This is what our Endo told us on Tuesday.

[taximom]

Get a new doctor! That one is crazy!

My son had NO ketones at all when he was diagnosed. He really did not look or act very sick at all (just all the drinking and peeing). He couldn't even understand why we were taking him to the doctor.

[Schpoodle's Dad]

Tell her to get a new Endo. She should be commended for being proactive and trying to catch it before it is serious.

The night that we rushed our daughter into emerg in DKA was one of the worst of my life. I wish we would have recognised the signs and gone in earlier.

[hold48398]

Originally Posted by Mama2H

Find a different ped that is willing to have tests run. She needs to ask for HbA1c, C-peptide, and Islet cell antibodies. This is what our Endo told us on Tuesday.

What she said!!

WTH..does the ped want her to wait for DKA before running some labs??

Arrrrgh.

[Flutterby]

This makes me so mad!! Sounds exactly like Kaylee when she was dx.. she DID NOT have ketones at dx.. but sugar in her urine.. I think the mother knows more about diabetes that the dr.. he obviously needs a few lessons..

she needs to follow up on this.. tell her to keep on checking her, and if she sees these numbers getting higher to bring her to the ER, forget the stupid dr..

this is why so many kids end up in DKA because dr's don't listen to the parents and blow them off!

[wilf]

Originally Posted by lisalotsamom

What advice would you give this mom? She's a type 1.5 diabetic herself, so is very familiar with diabetes signs, and info, and sees an endo for her own care, but he doesn't see children.
2yo little girl who is suddenly this week drinking lots and lots of fluids. Several cups of water and milk during the night, many more during the day, asks repeatedly for more to drink. She's been urinating more than usual, but not a huge amount like some kids at diagnosis. She's always been on the small side, and has had trouble gaining weight since infancy.
The mom checked her at home with her own meter and had readings ranging from 170 right after eating to 159 2 hours after a meal.
Got her into the ped today and was basically blown off.....told that unless there are urine ketones, there is no diabetes (kid couldn't pee right then, so she took in a sample later and results will be back tomorrow). The ped then lectured the mom on how kids with diabetes *always* are very, very sick and listed all of the DKA symtoms.
I'm worried for her, and know that many people have had kids diagnosed before full-blown DKA hits, and that is much preferable to the alternative nightmare we experienced with our Tessa.
What would you advise her to do?? They live in the Baltimore area.

I would make one try at educating the pediatrician, and then report them to their medical association.