Hypoglycemia

Posted on 12/12/2011 by Admin| Leave a comment

Hypoglycemia is when a child (or any other person) with diabetes is suffering from low blood sugars.  This can be an extreme and dangerous situation and in the worse case scenarios can lead to a diabetic coma or even death.  But with careful monitoring of blood sugar levels this can be prevented.

An important lesson to teach young children with juvenile diabetes is to recognize the signs of when they have low blood sugar.  For very young children this is going to be difficult when they don’t have the words or comprehension to explain what they are feeling.   Read more »

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Help from Grandparents with Diabetic Children

Posted on 12/12/2011 by Admin| Leave a comment

A night out on the town is just what mom and dad needs, but who is going to baby sit?  Grandparents are the best baby sitters, especially when they involve an overnight stay.  For parents of children with juvenile diabetes it might not be as easy.  It is going to be hard to leave your child with anyone for an extended period of time unless they know how to take of your child and manage their diabetes.

Training and a little bit of practice is all that is needed.  The good thing about grandparents is that you know they have your child’s best interests at heart.  They are going to take the responsibility seriously and follow your instructions to the letter.   Read more »

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Healthy Eating Guidelines for Juvenile Diabetes

Posted on 12/12/2011 by Admin| Leave a comment

A daily insulin injection is required to manage type 1 diabetes in children but it is not the only management strategy.  The diet plan that goes along with the daily insulin requirements is just as important and needs to be planned accordingly.  Consistency in meal times, portion sizes, and food groups are the keys to successful meal planning for children with diabetes.

Even though consistency is of the utmost importance, it does not mean that your child cannot have variety too.  This may seem impossible but there are ways it can be achieved.  The important rules to remember are feeding your child at the same time each day and giving them their insulin injection(s) at the same time too.  This helps their bodies regulate the use of the insulin.   Read more »

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Having Juvenile Diabetes and Going to School

Posted on 10/12/2011 by Admin| Leave a comment

The vital step after your child is diagnosed with juvenile diabetes is to develop a support network in the community.  Your child’s school should be at the top of this as a resource to tap into.  Not only is it essential that the teachers at your child’s school know about his special dietary needs and what to do in an emergency they can provide help in other ways too.

In addition to good control of blood glucose levels to ensure the current and future well-being of your child’s health, good control of diabetes is critical to learning.  When a child is experiencing highs or lows in the blood sugar reading this can create disruptions and make it hard for them to concentrate and learn. Read more »

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Getting Back on Track after Blood Sugar Spikes

Posted on 10/12/2011 by Admin| Leave a comment

Even with careful planning your child is going to test with high blood sugars – but hopefully not too frequently.  There are many reasons for this, including not taking insulin on time or enough, eating too much, not exercising enough, and stress.

High blood sugar in children does not occur as quickly as a low blood sugar will.  You may find that over the course of a day or couple of days that your child’s blood glucose levels are creeping upwards.  Signs that high blood sugar is becoming a problem is your child needing to urinate more and an increased need to drink (very thirsty).  Over time, elevated blood sugar can cause serious damage to eyesight and other organs including the kidneys.  Read more »

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Finding out Your Child has Juvenile Diabetes

Posted on 10/12/2011 by Admin| Leave a comment

It can be an emotional time when you find out that your child has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.  You will wonder how this is going to affect your child emotionally and what it is going to mean for their future health.  Your child is also going to be riding an emotional roller coaster.  Depending on their age, they may or may not understand everything that is going on but they will understand that there are big changes being implemented.

When a child is diagnosed with diabetes it affects the entire family.  The day to day life of everyone may be changed.  It will be a stressful time for but the best thing to do is to utilize the support available to you from your family, friends and health care providers. Read more »

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Different Responsibilities to give Children with Diabetes

Posted on 09/12/2011 by Admin| Leave a comment

The best way to help your child adjust to being a diabetic is to involve him or her in their treatment plan.  Depending on their age and level of maturity the level that they are involved and what they can do will be different.  Be aware that as children grow older, they are going to take more and more control over their disease and you have to know when it is time to step back and let them.

For children three years of age and under, the management process is going to be solely in your hands.  Even if there is a desire to do things on their own, their coordination skills and maturity level isn’t where it needs to be to give themselves injections or test their own blood.  Read more »

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