How do I help my Child with Diabetes?

Having childhood diabetes  is a tough road to have to travel, for both the Child and for the family who loves that child! It will be a real shock for you at first, however you and your family will learn to adjust to living with Diabetes. Thankfully you can make it a little easier by planning ahead and speaking openly to your child and others about their disease. The child has nothing to be embarrassed about, and this issue should not be hidden. In fact, hiding it can be a lot more dangerous than letting everyone know, plus being open will make your child feel more normal rather than as if they have a bad secret to keep. You should still encourage your child to strive to achieve their highest goals – there are so many celebrities, rock stars, Olympic athletes and sports men and women who live with diabetes.

Plan Ahead

Every day has to be planned ahead to include meals, snacks, testing, and injections. For small children there are risks all over the place in terms of food that they cannot have. Because of this, it’s important to let your child have some planned treats occasionally so they don’t feel left out. The truth is, what’s good for your diabetic child is also good for other children.

Diabetic Kids – They’re Not That Different

Children should eat a healthy, balanced diet, stay hydrated with non-sugar sweetened beverages and get plenty of activity each day. The only difference is that your child will need to monitor their blood sugar, and take breaks to either give themselves insulin or take medication. Oftentimes this means an adult will need to assist them.

Help your Diabetic Child by Talking to Teachers

Teachers and administrators need to know everything they can about your child’s condition. Some schools today do not have nurses on staff. Sometimes, if your child is not on a pump and you can’t leave work to administer insulin injections, the teacher will be the one to do it and it’ll be up to you to train them how to do it appropriately. Plan to spend a day or two at your child’s school so that you can go through every procedure, and watch them do it as well so that you can feel assured.

School Lunch Ideas for Kids with Diabetes.

There are so many choices really, for school lunches for Diabetic children.  Actually, it’s probably no different than what an ‘ideal’ lunch box for anyone should look like!  You need to pack fun and healthy foods that will give them enough energy to get through the day – and to help manage their blood sugar levels. Here are a few examples :

• Hard cooked eggs
• Rice or pasta, with some grilled chicken or fish
• Some cubed ham or turkey, with some dipping sauces
• Hummus with some pita bread
• Salads with some grilled chicken
• Baby carrots
• Cubes of low fat cheese.
• Yoghurt with some sliced pear
• Crackers
• Seedless Grapes
• Vegetable sticks like celery, carrot or cucumber, with some hummus to dip in
• Wrap some thin sliced roast beef, around veges, or breadsticks

Dealing with Other Children, when your child has Diabetes

If your child has diabetes, the best way to deal with other children is to make them part of helping your child stay safe and healthy. Offer to teach your child’s class about diabetes. Bring a fun interactive presentation and make your child feel special. A nice party with appropriate and healthy food to top it off will help. This will certainly make your child feel just like all the other children in their class

 Set a Good Example for your Child with Diabetes.

Don’t eat foods in front of your child that they cannot have. Don’t have food around the house that your child cannot have. Live a healthy life along with your child, and let your home be your child’s safe place away from temptations and the feeling of being left out. It’s not right to have those things around or at the dinner table if your one of your children can’t have them.

Most children with diabetes will live long lives and maintain their health as long as they’re taught how to care for themselves appropriately. Pay attention to their meals, calculate and teach them to calculate their carbohydrates, and ensure that they get their insulin on time in accurate dosages every single day!

More information here about the Recent FDA Approval on the Bloodless Glucose Meter.