[TequilaGod]

Hi Guys,
Had a weird and scary issue with Fletcher, my 2.5 year old son (one of non-identical twins) - just wondering if anyone has had the same sort of thing happen to them...

It started one dark and stormy night...

His brother Callan got a mild dose of gastro on Saturday night, throwing up through the night... by morning, he was fine, but Fletcher had picked it up too... and he was throwing up during the day... he wasn't keeping anything down...

By the next morning he was still throwing up - and was breathing hard (even when resting) - so we took him to our GP.

The doctor suggested it could be pneumonia, and we took him to our hospital for chest xrays.

Halfway through the xrays, another doctor came in just to have a look - and then the fun started - he said he's possibly suffering from keto-acidosis.

The symptoms were there (not that we knew it at the time) - ketone breath (sweet and pear smelling) - rapid breathing (kussmaul respiration), huge wet nappies, high blood sugar levels, high ketone levels...

So they hooked up several IVs - and started giving him saline & insulin... slowly he returned to normal over a day or so... he now pretty much back to normal.

The local Diabetes Coach comes in a gives us info pack on diabetes, and how it's controlled - all very good and informative...

So we wait for the blood test to come back - and it's showing negative to the beta cell antibodies...

So we're now confused - he's had all the hallmarks of someone who's got diabetes, but hasn't got the antibodies that would cause it...

We've been checking his BSL over the last week, and they vary between 4.2 of a morning, to 6ish during the day... all fairly normal...

Has anyone had a similar episode as this? Any ideas?

Cheers,
Richard

 

[breezeonby]

Hi Guys,
Had a weird and scary issue with Fletcher, my 2.5 year old son (one of non-identical twins) - just wondering if anyone has had the same sort of thing happen to them...

It started one dark and stormy night...

His brother Callan got a mild dose of gastro on Saturday night, throwing up through the night... by morning, he was fine, but Fletcher had picked it up too... and he was throwing up during the day... he wasn't keeping anything down...

By the next morning he was still throwing up - and was breathing hard (even when resting) - so we took him to our GP.

The doctor suggested it could be pneumonia, and we took him to our hospital for chest xrays.

Halfway through the xrays, another doctor came in just to have a look - and then the fun started - he said he's possibly suffering from keto-acidosis.

The symptoms were there (not that we knew it at the time) - ketone breath (sweet and pear smelling) - rapid breathing (kussmaul respiration), huge wet nappies, high blood sugar levels, high ketone levels...

So they hooked up several IVs - and started giving him saline & insulin... slowly he returned to normal over a day or so... he now pretty much back to normal.

The local Diabetes Coach comes in a gives us info pack on diabetes, and how it's controlled - all very good and informative...

So we wait for the blood test to come back - and it's showing negative to the beta cell antibodies...

So we're now confused - he's had all the hallmarks of someone who's got diabetes, but hasn't got the antibodies that would cause it...

We've been checking his BSL over the last week, and they vary between 4.2 of a morning, to 6ish during the day... all fairly normal...

Has anyone had a similar episode as this? Any ideas?

Cheers,
Richard

Welcome. I am glad your son is feeling better. I can see why you are confused since the blood tests came back normal and the blood tests that you have been doing at home are within normal ranges. I don't know what else to tell you except to take your son to an endocrinologist and have some more tests run. Perhaps someone else from the forum who has Type 1 diabetes will jump in on this post and may be able to give you more information. Keep testing until you see an endocrinologist.

 

[Shanny]

Hello, Richard . . . it's very scary when they're so small . . . I just have no experience with this whatever. But Breeze has given good advice & I think there ARE other tests that can find how much his pancreas is functioning - how much insulin it's producing; in fact I think there are a coupla different antibodies they can test for too.

Please keep us posted on your little guy . . . how's he feeling, btw? Any changes in behavior/appetite/etc?

take care,

 

[Richard157]

I agree with Breeze, an endocrinologist as the best choice for now. A diabetologist is a doctor who is even more specialized in diabetes, but they are not easy to find. An endocrinologist is a good choice. There are also pediatricians with expertise in diabetes. I have read about them. Good luck to you and your children!

Richard

 

[Emily]

insulin antibodies are least likely to show up in a kid.

 

[smorgan]

I have read that ketoacidosis can results from other causes - any condition which prevents the pancreas from secreting insulin. Sorry I don't recall many details about what I read. Anyway, perhaps it is possible that some transient condition caused beta cell shutdown or blocked them somehow from doing their job bringing on the very low insulin/very high blood sugar condition which causes ketoacidosis.

That would be nice because if so, perhaps the condition is gone and won't come back! That would be nice.

Anyway, if this or any other problem returns, the home testing should catch it before it gets too far.

 

[Shanny]

This is an old thread & it's the only time TequilaGod ever posted, so I think I'll just close it now & if he ever comes back to update us on the little boy, he can start a new thread.