Children with diabetes initially feel overwhelmed and devastated. Many kids who are diagnosed with diabetes have no idea what the disease is and what it will mean for their future. Checking blood glucose levels and insulin, in addition to counting carbohydrates each time they eat and responding with appropriate doses of medicine is a huge responsibility for a child. Some children may struggle while they learn how to cope with the disease, but with time and a little guidance from parents and doctors, most children do very well.
Performing a search online for pictures of children with diabetes will display hundreds of happy and healthy children that engage in all sorts of fun and interesting activities. These children function just like any child that does not have diabetes, except they have to follow certain guidelines for their survival. Some kids play sports and dance while other kids prefer poetry or music. Each child on the site had a positive outlook with a declaration of hope and help to other children. Children with diabetes do not have to be limited by their disease if they are willing to follow a solid course of treatment.
Symptoms of Children with Diabetes
Symptoms of children with diabetes are an intense need to drink and to urinate. These symptoms do not include a kid begging for the occasional drink at the grocery store or stopping once to use the restroom. Children that are later diagnosed with diabetes state that they were chugging gallons of juice in one setting and still feeling dehydrated. One young girl on a diabetic website claimed that she was so dry that when she touched her finger to her tongue, it stuck. Another boy could not get through an inning of baseball without an actual burning desire to urinate.
These symptoms are the classic indicators of diabetes and parents should watch for them. Other signs may include flu like symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. While the flu would clear up in a few days, these symptoms will linger and progress until the child needs to be admitted to the hospital. Many children receive a diagnosis this way. Less overt signs may include a voracious appetite, mood swings, and recurring infections. Parents should be aware of the slightest warning sign as children with diabetes statistics proclaim that 15,000 kids will receive a type 1 diagnosis while 3,700 kids will receive a type 2 diagnosis each year.
Diet for Children with Diabetes
A diet for children with diabetes is crucial in supporting their health and vitality. Eating one meal that has the wrong ratio of carbohydrates to insulin could be detrimental to a child’s health. Depending on the age of onset, the child may not understand the disease let alone how to figure out a proper diet. This area is where parent involvement is critical.
Children with diabetes can follow a diet in three different ways. A child can eat a set amount of carbohydrates per meal and take insulin at the same time each day. Alternatively, a child can count the carbohydrates they plan to eat and match the grams to the dose of insulin needed. The third method is to factor in the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins and then devise a table consisting of six food groups:starch, fruit, vegetable, milk, fat, and meat.Each food will have a predetermined serving size. For instance, a banana is one serving of fruit while ¼ cup of peas is one starch serving.
This last method, if combines with colorful charts and pictures could be introduced as a fun game instead of a tortured way of restricted eating.Snacks for children with diabetes should be distributed in between meals to keep blood glucose levels steady and especially before physical exertion. Exercise causes a person’s blood sugar to drop, so giving a child low-fat cheese and whole grain crackers or a similar snack is ideal.
