As a parent of children with diabetes, there’s a lot you need to learn and deal with in order to take care of their wellbeing. Start by educating yourself, as you will feel more comfortable and confident with handling the disease if you know exactly how it’s going to affect your child’s wellness.
Plus, the more you know about diabetes, the more you can teach your child and help them to understand their condition. You need to communicate with your child as much as possible about diabetes, as he or she is going to need to manage the disease throughout life. Make sure your child at least knows the basics about diabetes, which include blood glucose testing, healthy meals and injections.
When it comes to insulin injections, you need to know as much as possible about insulin and how it works. For example, you should be aware that when insulin is broken down by your child’s digestive system, it is rendered ineffective. Your child can take two injections, one before breakfast and one before dinner. However, your diabetic child can also use an insulin pump instead of taking injections.
Blood sugar monitoring is fundamental to your child’s diabetes care. You have to regularly monitor your child’s blood sugar levels, as blood glucose data is the cornerstone for all diabetes management. This data will help you to adjust your child’s diabetes management as needed, and will alert your child’s doctor to any potential complications. Remember, the readings of your child’s blood glucose aren’t “good” or “bad” – they’re just numbers, but they can make a real difference in your child’s life.
With meal planning, it’s important to account for morning and afternoon snacks, as well as planning your child’s main meals. Crackers with peanut butter are a good snack option, as diabetes snacks need to be rich in protein and carbohydrates. It may be helpful in the long-run to not only give your child healthy meals, but teach them about healthy eating along the way. Have the whole family make the same lifestyle changes so that the child with diabetes doesn’t feel excluded or different, and everyone’s health will also benefit!