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Caring for the Diabetic Child

Written by Min Zhu
Wednesday, 06 February 2008
Despite our best efforts as parents or caregivers, children will become sick. One such illness which is becoming increasingly prevalent is diabetes. However, keeping a diabetic child healthy is dependent on being informed about the disease, its symptoms, and treatments. Caring for the child with diabetes is the responsibility of all persons who, at some time or other, has to take care of that child. As such, parents need to ensure that all care givers are informed about their diabetic child's dietary needs. Most children tend to have type I diabetes, previously known as juvenile diabetes, although children are increasingly being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes as well. Type I diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not work and does not produce any insulin. Insulin is needed to help break down sugars (glucose) in our body to help it work efficiently. When this breakdown of sugars does not happen, as in the case of type I diabetes, the sugar stays in the blood stream. Because insulin is important in breaking down sugars in the body to use for energy, insulin has to be taken to control the illness. Therefore type I diabetes is also called insulin-dependent diabetes. Exercise and diet are also important helping to control this type of diabetes. Caring for the child with diabetes means that you will need to recognize the signs of the illness, as well as any resulting reactions that can occur. The main signs of diabetes in children are: Breath smelling like fruit Constant hunger Pulse beating faster than normal Headaches Being weak and dizzy Difficulty concentrating Vision becoming foggy Skin tending to be cold and moist Experiencing seizures Next, you should be able to identify when the child is in crisis, suffering either a hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic episode, and you should know what to do help in either case. Hyperglycemia occurs when the sugar levels are too high. Rising sugar levels are generally a result of eating too much, not taking the correct amount of insulin, or not exercising enough. When a child is hyperglycemic, treatment by medical professionals is needed. A child suffering from high blood sugar will complain of the following: Weakness Extreme thirst Needing to urinate frequently Not seeing clearly Not being hungry With hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), the symptoms vary from child to child, but some of the typical signs include: Clumsiness Sudden mood changes Sweating Hunger Seeming confused Trembling Headache Tingling feeling around the mouth The first course of action is to increase the child's sugar intake by giving them something sweet to drink, such as regular soda, fruit juice or glucose tablets. Once the child is feeling better, you should give them something more solid to eat. If the child is too weak to swallow or is unconscious, administer the recommended dosage of glucagon and call for immediate medical assistance. Glucagon is a medication given by injection to rapidly increase the level of glucose in the blood. It is normally the first course of treatment in severe hypoglycemia. Diet is a major part of keeping the diabetic child healthy. The caregiver has the responsibility to ensure that the child eats what is recommended. It is also important to talk with the child and let them know that they will get really sick if they eat too many sweets or other foods that can pose a risk. It is also important to let others, such as teachers, know that a diabetic child may need to snack to boost their sugar and energy levels. The child with diabetes must also have regular meals. Physical exertion from exercising or sports is important to the diabetic child. The child with diabetes can engage in all normal activities once they observe two basic rules: They should avoid playing just before their meal time and have a snack ready so that they can replace lost sugar. Physical activity burns sugar and reduces energy, so the snack will be necessary to balance sugar levels. Most importantly, children should be taught how to test their blood sugar levels during the course of the day, once they are able to do soon their own. This is important so that they can take insulin or eat something as needed. Taking care of children with diabetes is not difficult if you have a plan of action. This plan should include keeping all those who may need to care for the child aware of what can happen if the child's sugar level changes and the remedies to administer. The diabetic child should also be taught how to monitor his or her own sugar levels and what to do in the event that the levels are too high or low. Numbers for doctors should be in an easy-to-reach place in case of an emergency.
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 06 February 2008 )