GRAND RAPIDS — November marked Juvenile Diabetes Month, the CDC reports from 2001 to 2009 there was a 21% increase in type 1 diabetes in kids and teens under 20.
More than 2 million people are expected to have type 1 by 2040. A Hudsonville family, inspired by their son Lincoln, is now teaching others about managing type 1 in children.
6-year-old Lincoln is an energetic brother, and he's excited about his latest adventure, wrestling. A big part of Lincoln's life is something you really can't see, Lincoln is a type 1 diabetic.
"He would sit at the bottom of the fridge and beg and cry for a drink. We couldn't get him to eat anything without giving him something to drink with it. He would cry for his bottle or a sippy cup at night," said Britni Schipper, Lincoln's mom.
Diagnosed at 19 months, Lincoln was rushed to the ER with a blood sugar well over 300.
"I remember the first night we had Lincoln home, and he was in the 90s and we're like OK get the fruit snacks we've got to treat him. But 90 is a safe number, we were just so scared," said Jason Schipper, Lincoln's dad.
Lincoln's doctors like Nader Kasim, a type 1 diabetic himself, are helping the little guy learn how to use tech to manage his symptoms at school, during sports, and while playing with his siblings.
"The concern that we primarily get, is my child doing well? And that's actually one of the things we focus on in clinic, is we actually teach families how to gauge control at home. So, a lot of our patients actually walk into the office knowing how they're doing even before the appointment which is super cool," said Dr. Nadir Kasem, pediatric endocrinologist, Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.
With all the information she's learned, Mom, who is a nurse, is now helping other families with their diagnoses as a diabetes educator at Helen DeVos.
"It's a really rewarding experience not only to be able to educate families but know what it's like to be in their shoes," said Britni Schipper.
The whole family is so happy to see Lincoln doing everything the other kids can do. "It does get better, it does get easier, especially when you have a really good support system around you and you are able to communicate with other families who have type 1," said Jason Schipper.
Endocrinologists at Helen DeVos say the most common age for a child to be diagnosed with type 1 is 11 or 12. Folks can get diagnosed as babies and toddlers like Lincoln, and all the way into adulthood.
If your child is drinking a lot, experiencing urgency or excessive urination, or vomiting, call your doctor. It might be time to check your child's blood sugar.
