1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: It's the Happy Families podcast. It's the podcast for the 2 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,399 Speaker 1: time poor parent who just wants answers Now. 3 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 2: Hello, this is doctor Justin Courson, the founder of Happy 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:14,079 Speaker 2: Families dot com dot iu and the author of a 5 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 2: bunch of books about how to make your family happier. 6 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 2: Hope you're enjoying your school holidays today I'm having a 7 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 2: quick conversation about something that affects around about one hundred 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 2: and fifty and every one hundred thousand Australian kids, diabetes, 9 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 2: type one diabetes. Kylie Wilde is the mum to a 10 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 2: child who has type one diabetes. Kylie's son his name 11 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,160 Speaker 2: is Lim, and Kylie joins me on the Happy Families 12 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 2: Podcast today to I guess help us to understand Kylie. 13 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 2: This is terrible of me, Like I've got a PhD 14 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 2: in psychology, but I'm not a medical doctor. I have 15 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 2: no idea, I know nothing about diabetes. Thanks for joining 16 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 2: me on the podcast. Can you tell me what is 17 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 2: type one diabetes? 18 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: Type one diabetes is an autoimmune disease quite different to 19 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: Grandma's type two diabetes. So it's an autoimmune disease that 20 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 1: attacks the cells in the insulin in that the pancreas 21 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: make so pretty much the kids have got a dodgy 22 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,119 Speaker 1: pancreas that's unable to produce that insulin. So we then 23 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: have to make sure they get it on board via 24 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: injections or a pump or whatever that may be. 25 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: Okay, So I want to go back a little bit 26 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 2: on here, because I'm so non dietary and biochemically conversant. 27 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 2: What is insulin and why do we need it? 28 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: So our pancreas makes insulin is the hormone that controls 29 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: our blood sugar levels in our body. 30 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,759 Speaker 2: So insulin is not actually blood sugar, it's a hormone 31 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 2: and it makes sure that a blood sugar is right. 32 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 2: What happens if we've got too much blood? 33 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, too much, our blood sugars are going too high. 34 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: That can put us into a coma as well, we 35 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: can get some adk happenings. The key tones in our 36 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: blood is too high to acidic and it's dangerous for 37 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: our organs. Too low is also is dangerous as well. 38 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: So it's just adjusting that to get that happy medium 39 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:02,559 Speaker 1: in the body. 40 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 2: Okay, And so type one diabetes basically means and I'm 41 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 2: restating to make sure I understand this. Maybe I'm the 42 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 2: only person listening to this conversation who doesn't understand it, 43 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 2: but I've been fortunate to never come across it before 44 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 2: in anyone close to me, never had the opportunity to 45 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,639 Speaker 2: ask the questions. So type one diabetes means that we've 46 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 2: got a child or an adult. I guess adults can 47 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 2: have it as well as young adults. Ye, who's pancreas 48 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 2: is not producing the insulin, which means that blood sugar 49 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 2: is going to spike, peak or bottom out in dangerous ways. 50 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: Yes, yeah, okay, it's correct, all. 51 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 2: Right, And so therefore the needles the insulin is inserted 52 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 2: into the bloodstream so that the body does what it's 53 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 2: supposed to do with sugar. 54 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:44,679 Speaker 1: Yes, yeah, they need helped get the insulin on board 55 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: so that they can process the carbohydrates as needed. Yeah. 56 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 2: Cool, I appreciate that little primer on diabetes. You mentioned 57 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 2: that it's not your grandmother's type two diabetes. How is 58 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 2: that different? 59 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: So when Liam was diagnosed, a lot of the people like, oh, 60 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 1: you know, he lives are quite a good diet, his healthy, 61 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,119 Speaker 1: active boy. But type two was later on in life, 62 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: so it's same kind of thing. The insulin is breaking 63 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: down and working as well, But it can be genetic 64 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 1: and it's a like with lifestyle as well. Yeah, as 65 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: we get older, I've. 66 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 2: Always understood type two diabetes to be related to just 67 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 2: eating too much junk food and not exercising enough. 68 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: Again, not a great, great idea if you want to 69 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: prolong your life without contracting type two diabetes, that's for sure, 70 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: But there is some genetic cases as well type two diabetes. 71 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 2: Okay, So let's go back to Liam and type one diabetes, Like, 72 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 2: where does type one diabetes come from? 73 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: It? 74 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 2: Are you literally just born with it? Does it just develop? 75 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 2: It's not lifestyle related? 76 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: No, not lifestyle related. Liam was five when we found 77 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,839 Speaker 1: out he had type one diabetes after a few short 78 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: weeks of symptoms. That was sort of of telling us 79 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: something's not quite right here. 80 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 2: Right, Okay, So you've got a kid who's not not 81 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 2: thriving at all, taking to the doctor, and the doctor says, 82 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 2: let's run some tests. We've got a problem here. Obviously, 83 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:16,679 Speaker 2: there's the needles, which I mean nobody, even I'm sure 84 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 2: diabetics still don't like needles, even though they're having them 85 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 2: all the time. So you've got the needles. But how 86 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 2: does diabetes type one diabetes specifically affect kids. 87 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:28,799 Speaker 1: There's a lot that can go on with the child 88 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: with type one diabetes, especially if they're busy, they're active, 89 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: they want to get on and live life. So that 90 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: you've got a constant juggle of numbers. You need to 91 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: make sure you're allowing for all the carbohydrates that they're eating, 92 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: even proteins, fat sugars going into the body, to allow 93 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 1: the correct insulin dose to go on board with that, 94 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: so that you know their levels can go up high, 95 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 1: they can come down low. There's fatigue, there's burnout because 96 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: it's exhausting that they're always looking at numbers. You can 97 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: feel pretty crappy when your levels are going up and 98 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: going down. From a small age. There's things like you know, 99 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: playdates or sleepovers, and there's a whole, a whole world 100 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: of things that come with the diagnosis. And it is 101 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 1: it's quite overwhelming, but it's it's constant. You're constantly got 102 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 1: numbers going around in your head and thinking ahead like 103 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 1: it doesn't doesn't just take a break when you're on holidays, 104 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: doesn't take a break when you're sleeping. It doesn't take 105 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:30,279 Speaker 1: a break so exhaustion as well as is a big 106 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: thing too, and teaching healthy habits from a young age, 107 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 1: which would. 108 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 2: Be so frustrating because you've got this kid who probably 109 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 2: wants to be able to go and live their life 110 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,479 Speaker 2: like all the other kids, and they don't have that 111 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:43,280 Speaker 2: opportunity In too many cases. 112 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: I presume we've never really made diabetes a crutch so 113 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: to speak for Leam, he is such an active, out 114 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: there boy, and we just have to learn fast to 115 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,720 Speaker 1: make his life as a youngster as easy as as 116 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 1: we can. They don't really understand why understanding exactly why either, 117 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 1: so we just have to go along the best we 118 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: can keep up with him so that he can live 119 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 1: a busy, active life style in all sports that you 120 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: can imagine. Nothing stops him. So as parents, you just 121 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: need to get on board and be the thinkers and 122 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 1: teach them along the way. 123 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 2: Yeah okay, so let me ask you this, then, how 124 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 2: do you manage Limb's diabetes? How do you how do 125 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 2: you work with this kid when you're trying to not 126 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 2: let it interfere? But yeah, the reality is it's going 127 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 2: to interfere. It requires so much of you, like it 128 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 2: just has to. 129 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: Yes, it does well. We've had a few different approaches 130 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: to managing Liamb's diabetes. We started out when Limb's first diagnosed. 131 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: The simple and most easiest way to get our heads 132 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: around it was injections, Even though that seems so unnatural 133 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: to be injecting your child with a needle device, that 134 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: was just the easiest part to learn. And then, after 135 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: a couple of years and a lot of Lamb hiding 136 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: under the table because he just could not do injections anymore. 137 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:08,719 Speaker 1: It gave him anxiety and it was hurting all of us, 138 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 1: we decided to take have a of the pump, an 139 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: insulin pump that is a little he was trying the medtronic. 140 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 1: It's a little one that sits on him and there's 141 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: cords attached and there's insulin a little trips Finchlin going 142 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: in all the time, and then you dose up when 143 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: you're eating a bit extra. That's something that has to 144 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: go on and off when they're showering, playing active sport 145 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: as well. And early last year we were introduced to omnipods, 146 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: so we decided that was a no brainer for Liam 147 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: to take part in a trial. It's a little device 148 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: that delivers the insulin and it sticks on you a 149 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: bit like your gluecose monitoring system that sticks on you. 150 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: And it just meant that he could shower. He could 151 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: he's an adventurer, so he could go hunting yubbies and 152 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: guppies and the pond and not have to worry, take 153 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: on off, he boxing, rugby league, everything. He can keep 154 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: it on and it's great. And it is recyclable. You know, 155 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: often in this disposable world, it's a lot of rubbish, 156 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: but it's it's recyclable. And that was that was great 157 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: fast too. Yeah, it's it's a wonderful device. And I 158 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: encourage anyone that can have to have a. 159 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 2: Go maybe a question to wrap up our conversation and 160 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 2: thank you for sharing that is there is there any 161 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 2: way that Lim and other others with type one diabetes 162 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 2: can never get beyond the need to have insulin supplied, 163 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 2: Like does the body ever get it together? And do 164 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 2: you ever get a quote unquote cure from type one diabetes? 165 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 1: No? I think that's been research going on for more 166 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 1: than fifty years as to when when can we find 167 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: a cure? And I hope that they don't give up 168 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: finding a cure. Fundraising all the time, Limb takes part 169 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: in the in the JDRF one Walk every year to 170 00:08:55,840 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: do his bit for fundraising. Yeah, I don't know of anything. 171 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: I mean, there's lots of stuff happening, lots of research 172 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: and in the works, but if it will be in 173 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 1: Liam's lifetime, I'm really not sure. 174 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 2: Well think Kylie. It has been a real pleasure to 175 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 2: be able to talk with you, and I appreciate you 176 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 2: sharing what you've shared. I'm sure that there will be 177 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 2: parents who have kids with type one diabetes who are 178 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 2: going to find value in what you've shared. And even 179 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:26,319 Speaker 2: if parents don't have their own children who are experiencing 180 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 2: this challenge, I'm sure that there are plenty of parents 181 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 2: out there who have friends, relatives, people in there or 182 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 2: but who certainly do so. It's been really informative and 183 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 2: so grateful of your time. 184 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: Thank you, Thank you very much, Justin. 185 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 2: That's Kylie Wilde, she's mum to a Type one diabetic 186 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 2: by the name of Liam, and hopefully some hints and 187 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,959 Speaker 2: tips for any parent who is battling the same challenges 188 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 2: with their kids with diabetes. The Happy Family's podcast is 189 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 2: produced by Justin Roland from Bridge Media. Craig Bruce is 190 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 2: our executive producer. For more information about making your family happy, 191 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 2: please visit us at happy families dot com. Dot au 192 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 2: Let's don't