{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"When Your Baby is Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes: Marlee's Story","description":"\u201cMy baby went from fussy to lifeless in hours\u2014by the time we reached the PICU, they said he might have had six hours to live.\u201d In this episode, TikTok Influencer and Medical Mom Marlee Brandon, a pediatric speech-language pathologist turned full-time mom, shares the whirlwind diagnosis of her 12-month-old son Bain with Type 1 diabetes and severe DKA, the traumatic hospital stay, and the everyday advocacy that followed. Raw, practical, and deeply hopeful. Why this episode matters Emotional clarity: what a Type 1 diagnosis really feels like in infancy Practical advocacy: scripts, choices, and language that help toddlers cope System gaps: when even major hospitals say \u201cwe\u2019ve never seen this in a baby\u201d Hope forward: raising a confident kid who knows why care matters What You\u2019ll Learn Early signs & ER visit: how \u201cear infection\u201d symptoms masked T1D in a baby DKA in plain language: what \u201cacidic blood\u201d means and how PICU treats it The learning cliff: carb ratios, breastfeeding while dosing insulin, and why it\u2019s OK not to \u201cget it\u201d on day one Toddler coping: give choices, narrate care, build independence Rebuilding trust after mistakes: when training\/tools aren\u2019t perfect Finding your people: groups, podcasts, and creators who answer \u201cwhat now?\u201d Timestamps 00:00 Meet Marlee (pediatric SLP \u2192 motherhood) 01:40 Why speech therapy & pediatrics 03:55 Bain turns one \u2192 sudden \u201cear infection\u201d \u2192 nonstop vomiting 06:30 Small-town ER: \u201cHe has diabetes\u201d (dismantling stereotypes) 08:35 Life-flight & PICU: severe DKA, hourly sticks, no food for 48 hrs 10:20 Turning the corner: energy returns; the six-hour window 11:22 \u201cI don\u2019t understand this\u201d\u2014carb ratios, nursing, overwhelm 13:05 \u201cWe\u2019ve never seen this in a baby\u201d at a major children\u2019s hospital 15:23 Tears \u2192 handing tasks to partner \u2192 first solo shot 17:20 The Chick-fil-A moment: necessity builds confidence 18:44 Finding community: Facebook groups, YouTube, TikTok 19:55 Narrating care for toddlers\u2014SLP tools that build trust & language 21:19 Offering choices: stickers, shot sites, pushing the button 22:53 Caregiver reality: self-care with very young T1D 24:32 Why daycare felt unsafe: syringe mix-ups & trust 25:54 Joy check: rocks, crafts, and a kid excited by everything 27:56 Best resources for newly diagnosed families 29:52 \u201cDiabetes doesn\u2019t define your life.\u201d Marlee Shares that... \u201cType 1 isn\u2019t about weight or diet\u2014my baby was still nursing.\u201d \u201cThey told my husband he probably had six hours to live.\u201d \u201cI thought I needed nursing school to understand our endo.\u201d \u201cI won\u2019t chase him with a shot. I explain why\u2014insulin keeps you safe.\u201d \u201cYou can be anything and do anything\u2026and have diabetes.\u201d Resources & Links Support communities Diapers & Diabetes (Facebook group for infants\/toddlers with T1D) Juicebox Podcast Related Child Life On Call resources Explaining shots, blood draws and vaccines to kids   SupportSpot App (by Child Life On Call) Procedure guides, coping plans, journals, and parent resources to feel prepared and advocate with confidence  ","author_name":"Inside the Children's Hospital","author_url":"http:\/\/insidethechildrenshospital.com","html":"