Couple wants parents to be aware of chronic illness symptoms in their children
By Joshua Davis
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WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (WXII) — A couple in Winston-Salem took their son to a pediatrician for what should have been a routine checkup, but instead received a diagnosis that changed their lives.
Noah Nieves is like any other kid, learning about the world around him one step at a time. However, on April 3, 1-year-old Noah was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
“When you have something in your family or your child’s father side of the family, you kind of have it in the back of your mind,” said Brooke, Noah’s mom. “You never actually expect it to happen to your child, and so when it does nothing can ever prepare you for that.”
Brooke said part of the reason they got the diagnoses was because she noticed Noah constantly asking for water. At first, she thought he was excited about learning a new word, but something inside of her just felt like it was excessive. Excessive enough to bring it up to his pediatrician, who immediately sent them to Brenner’s Children’s Hospital to check his blood glucose levels.
“That came back at over 500 for his glucose levels,” she said. “The normal range is between 70 and 140. They were shocked that he was so alert and aware. A lot of times, you know, they can go into a diabetic coma, so it’s life-threatening.”
That discovery led to a weeklong hospital stay.
“We came back with a chronic illness, and our lives are totally different, and will always be different, because there’s no cure,” Brooke said. “It’s a lifelong illness for him.”
Brooke and her husband, Anthony, are now learning how to navigate this diagnosis, and prepare their son for the road ahead. After going through this experience, Brooke has a message for other parents: to watch their kids closely. She’s encouraging parents to talk with a doctor if they see any strange behavior with their children.
Brooke and Anthony are asking for thoughts and prayers for their son and have started a Gofundme to help support his medical bills.
You can find a link to that here: gofundme.com/f/noahs-t1d-diagnosis
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