A "perfect age" to get Juvenile Type 1 diabetes?

"Some people are always complaining because roses have thorns. I am thankful that thorns have roses."

-Alphonse Karr  

PERSPECTIVE...

Just this past weekend at an event with many Type 1 diabetic families, my 12yr old, Sean, made a very serious observation...

Sean got diagnosed when he was 11yrs old, and has not met too many kids younger than him who battle the same disease. So during lunch at this event we were back to back and side to side with kids of all ages who are also Type 1.

One little man in particular caught Sean's attention, and he looked back at me and said, "Wow mom, that's so hard, this boy is too young to have the same thing as me. I just can't imagine that, he's just a little kid."

The sentiment chipped another piece of my heart away, as Type 1 tends to do so easily at times... I love Sean for his empathy towards others. He's been that way since he was about 5, but this moment really stood out.

Just another second later I could hear a conversation behind me among T1 dads regarding the age their kids got diagnosed. This opened up a whole conversation regarding "the ideal age", so to speak...

Is there a perfect age for our kids to deal with diabetes?

I completely related to one T1 mom's feedback on how difficult it would have been to meal plan and dose appropriately with a baby/toddler type 1... Then a dad chimed in how even older, like Sean, has its downfalls. When he began to explain, I finished his sentence for him; "...yeah, he knew his life before diabetes, and he always will!"

We then compared and contrasted the age possibilities so candidly, and ultimately concluded there are pros and cons to all ages. Yet one family really did believe "7" was it. The best age for diabetes to strike.  Just old enough, but still young...years before the hormones and adolescence kick in, etc. 

What do you say? 

Do you believe it was your child's age that was best?

Have you observed another family/child and think they've got it worse/better?

*Of course we wish this darn disease never reared its ugly head in our kid's lives. It's something every parent would take on for their child in a HEART BEAT! 

(Sean, left, playing chase with younger friends and his brother just before lunch at this event...)

Until the cure, we have so much to still look at and learn from... My brave, strong and amazing young tween has this amazing gift I am grateful for: PERSPECTIVE. And I can't wait to see where it guides his heart and actions as he continues to "grow into" his diabetic life...