Planning meals and gauging your child's overall nutrition may
seem like a challenge. Following are a few "survival skills":
Basic Proper Nutrition - You do not need
to purchase a separate cupboard of "diabetic" foods.
Use the foods you already have in your home.
Food Guide Pyramid - It is important to concentrate
more on making sure your child gets a good variety of food than
on the particular amounts. Your child will let you know if he/she
is hungry. You will be told when portion sizes are an issue.
Balance and Variety - Encourage your child
to eat a variety of foods. Remember to choose from each of the
food groups for a balanced meal plan. The food groups are carbohydrates
(starches/breads, fruits, milk), vegetables, meats, and fats.
Sweets - If they fit into your meal plan,
sweets are okay once in a while. They do not contain the nutrition
of other healthy foods, but as long as you work the cake,
cookie, or ice cream into the meal plan, it's fine for special
occasions.
Beverages - Only water or sugar-free beverages
are permitted between meal and snack times. Milk and juice
will be figured into meal and snack times.
Influencing blood sugar - Foods that influence
blood sugar are the simple and complex carbohydrates. Foods
that do not influence blood sugar include un-breaded meats,
fats, and small amounts of vegetables.
Timing - Three meals and three snacks should
be consumed at the same time every day. Your child should never
skip meals or snacks. The bedtime snack is especially important
to give your child the energy needed through the nighttime. Weekend
schedules should not vary more than one hour from your weekly
schedule.
Hypoglycemia Signs & Symptoms - Your child
may be hypoglycemic if he/she exhibits any of the following symptoms:
shaking, fast heartbeat, sweating, anxious, dizziness, hunger,
impaired vision, confusion or inability to concentrate, weakness,
fatigue, headache, irritable, tingling of the hands, lips or tongue.
Treating Blood Sugar Lows - When your child's
blood sugar level drops below 80, it should be treated. Blood
sugar is likely to drop during or following exercise, near mealtimes,
or at times when insulin is "peaking." Treat low blood
sugar without delay. The best things to eat are foods that are
broken down into sugar quickly, such as 1/2 cup of orange juice.
If it will be more than an hour until the next meal or snack,
go ahead and consume another complex (not simple) carbohydrate
- like 6 saltine crackers or 1/2 of a plain bagel - plus 1 oz.
of protein (1 slice of cheese).
Never treat a blood sugar low with chocolate candy bars.
Chocolate contains fat which slows digestion so that the glucose
does not enter the blood stream as quickly.
Illness - Insulin must always be taken. Food
must always balance with insulin for good blood sugar control
and health. It is necessary during times of illness to allow foods
containing sugar like regular 7-up or regular Jell-O to make sure
enough carbohydrate us consumed to balance with insulin.
Exercise - If physical activity is scheduled
close to a meal or snack time, you need not worry. If your child
participates in organized sports, or plays more strenuous activities
with friends, you should test your child's blood sugar before
the event. The blood sugar test results will determine if your
child needs to eat before the activity, if they can go ahead and
play without eating, or if they should wait to play.
Changes - Always consult with a medical professional
if you would like to make changes to your child's medical regime.
Food and insulin must always balance.If your child is hungry and
consumes greater than three foods per day or is too full, consult
your outpatient registered dietitian, outpatient nurse practitioner,
or physician.
