[type1rachelle]

Although she's much older than your son, I mentor a 9 year old little girl with T1 and my biggest piece of advice for parents? introduce your child to as many people with T1 as possible! As he gets older, you might want to consider enrolling him in a diabetes camp? There's a very strange sort of loneliness/isolation that comes from having this disease and feeling like you're the only one in the world dealing with it. I can't tell you how much my own attitude towards self management has improved just from knowing dozens of T1s living their lives. as much as you will gain in education about this disease, there's a different perspective to actually having it and being exposed to people who share tips/tricks/frustrations really helps you not feel so alone. The little girl I mentor, after having a summer filled with getting to know me and other T1s, is now on an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor, and she is incredibly active - soccer, swimming, running, etc. - the family doesn't let it hold them back in the least.

my second piece of advice? don't sweat the small stuff. you are not taking years off your son's life if he has an occasional high - of course it's scary, but the very nature of the disease makes it impossible to manage well 100% of the time. I think the best thing parents can do for a T1 child is treat it as a continual learning process, not so much as "good/bad" - also, make him/her independent in his/her own care. remember - you will not always be there. give the tools they need to take an interest, not treat it as a HUGE deal and let them experience their own mistakes and successes with this disease.

it's a maintenance thing - you have to manually do what other people's bodies do automatically. it's complicated at times, but if well controlled most of the time, it won't hold you back from anything, and it won't shorten your lifespan a bit. I know several T1s in their 70s still out there cycling and living it up.