ParentingDiabeticKids.com

Do you think restricting a child's diet in necessary for blood sugar control?

This is a great question and one that I am sure all parents of children with diabetes think of. Here is what I have always told myself and continue to tell my daughter. "A person with diabetes eats what every healthy American should be eating". Moderation is key! Fortunately and unfortunately, I have had the opportunity to meet many children and families diagnosed with diabetes. Many times, I know the parents have the best intentions, and they forbid their children with diabetes from eating certain things such as candy or other "sweets".

As we all know, human nature is a very powerful force. Once you tell any individual not to do something, they only want to do it more. The is one family who did not allow their daughter with diabetes to eat any candy. One day, they found empty candy wrappers all over the back of her closet and under her bed. The truth is...when there is a will, there is a way! The key here is to understand that there can be a time and place to have "treats" as long as you are eating them with a "healthy" mind! Best of luck!

How do you get a 12 year old to give her own shots? We are trying, but she will have no part in it yet!

It is so important for any person with diabetes to take full responsibility for their health and their life with diabetes. So the question is.....Is this something your daughter would just rather you do? Or does she not want to take ownership of her life with diabetes? Obviously, those are two very different scenarios. Believe it or not, this question made me chuckle a bit. It brought me back to being 19 years-old and still asking my family members to give me my injections.(I switched to an insulin pump when I as 19.) I was a full-time college student, full-time dance teacher, full-time Miss New York and took 100% responsibility for my diabetes. However, I just preferred to have other people I trusted give my injection if they were available. (Of course there were plently of times when I was on my way to one event or another and had to do my own injection. It never was a problem it was just not my preference.) On the other hand, if your daughter does not want to take part in managing her diabetes, I urge you to have her realize that she is her #1 advocate. As a mother of a child with diabetes, even though Brooke is only 4, I feel it is my job to give her the tools/ability to make the right choices for her health. Even at this young age, she is not with me every single minute of every single day. In the times where I am not there to help her, I want her to have the power and knowledge to help herself as best she can. I truly feel this is one of the biggest gifts I can give to her. As a person living with diabetes for over 22 years, I know there were MANY times where no one was there to help me. Thankfully, my family and care team had empowered me with the proper tools,ability and confidence to hold my life in my own hands.

With that said, living with diabetes is not exactly "fun". It is, however, a part of life. I would always tell myself and now tell my daughter, "Insulin is a part of what we have to do so that we can move on and enjoy a wonderful and productive day". Hope this helps and GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

"How do we get over the high sugars our daughter constantly has?"

There are many medical components that go into answering this question. I would certainly speak to your Diabetes Management Team regarding how to handle this issue on a medical level.

As a mother and individual living with diabetes and high blood sugars, I always make sure to not focus on any particular number. It is important to "fix" a high BG reading (as per your physicians instructions) and then move on to "bigger and better " things. "This too shall pass" is a phrase that often enters my mind when I see a high BG on either of our machines. Unfortunately, high blood sugars are part of the diabetes puzzle. You must a lways keep in mind the much larger picture.....Even with diabetes, you and your family can enjoy many wonderful moments!

Stay healthy....Stay positive!

"How do I overcome the fear of one of my other kids getting diabetes...especially since our daughter is the third generation to get Type 1 diabetes?"

To the Bloom Family, I always am faced with the question..."Did you have your son genetically tested for diabetes?" My response is always the same. I enjoy each and every day with my son diabetes-free. If tomorrow morning, he wakes up and has diabetes, I will deal with that reality. As for right now, why stress myself and my family for an issue that for this moment, thankfully, is non-existent. Hope this helps you as much as it helps me!!! All my best, Deana.

How can you convince fairly recently diagnosed teenagers to consider the pump..?? Our kids want NOTHING to do with pumping.. They are 15 and 17.. don't want "something attached".

This question is one that is all too familiar to me.  From the time I was about 16 years old, my family and medical team begged me to get an insulin pump.  Like your children, I too felt that I didn't want anything "attached" to me and that I didn't need a "constant reminder" that I had diabetes.  Finally, at the age of 19, my mother said a very simple statement but it rang loud and clear to me.  She said, "Just try it! If you don't like it, throw it in the back of your closet and you can go back to doing what you have been for the past 11 years".  I thought, "She's right! Let me "try" it! I'll hate it and then at least I won't have to "hear" about it anymore"!  Well, much to my surprise, I was "pumping" for about 24 hours and LOVED it!!!  I realized in that very short amount of time that a pump had the opposite effect of what I had imagined! It actually helped me to "forget" about having diabetes in a sense because I didn't have to watch the clock, excuse myself to inject and eat when I wanted (not when it was "time for snack")!
Now, with this said, you would think that as soon as my daughter was diagnosed that I would put her right on a pump! That was not the case.  I was hesitant to "attach" my 3 year-old to a pump.  Would it get tangled when she was sleeping?  Where would I put it on her tiny body?  Would it get caught while she was running around like any 3 year-old should?  Thankfully, I was introduced to the OmniPod.  It seemed to be the answer to all of my questions and concerns.  And...it was! One year ago, both my daughter and I made the switch to the OmniPod and I have NEVER looked back!  For my daughter, it gives her the freedom of "pumping" without the tubing.  As for myself, (let me add that I NEVER minded the tubing on my pump), it was life-changing in a way that I never expected!  I know Insulet (the makers of the OmniPod) is kind enough to do trials so that you can experience the "pod" for a few days without any financial burden.  Who knows?  Maybe your children will "just try it" and learn to love it as much as I do!!
Good Luck!!!!!!

How do you make your teenagers keep their routines when they are rebelling at every step? How do you insure they TEST TEST TEST !!

I am sure most people who have diabetes will say that testing is not fun! However, we all quickly realize that by making testing part of your routine (ex. wake up, shower, brush your teeth, test, etc.) you are able to go about your day and all that you want/need to accomplish with much more ease and confidence! One of the hardest parts of testing a lot of times is getting an "unwanted" result.  As a parent, if we try not to focus so much on the number but more the bigger picture it may take the pressure of your child because they might feel they are being judged or failing you if that number is less than acceptable.  Also, you know your child best!! As with any other life lessons we try to teach our children, find their "currency" and reward them for being responsible and compliant!
Good luck to you and your family!! I wish you all the best!

My daughter has recently started a new bad habit. She has been eating the school breakfast along with the breakfast she gets at home. Nobody has been watching her and I'm not sure if its their responsibility. She is 8 years old and has had diabetes since she was 18 months so she knows she's not allowed to eat without permission. But I'm feeling that she wants to be "normal" and eat breakfast with her friends at school. I have not confronted her about it yet because I'm not sure which way to go. I asked her why her sugars where in the 500's in school and perfect on days off. I specifically asked if she ate on the bus or before lunch and she gets really upset saying she doesn't, and how i should believe her. I don't know what to do!!

Balancing "being normal" and good diabetes control is a balancing act that is probably one of the most challenging for parents of young children with diabetes.  I have found throughout my years with diabetes, personally and professionally, that the emotional effect of diabetes is sometimes more important than the medical effect.  For example, many parents are so focused on a particular BG number or A1c (rightfully so) that the "other" factor of diabetes (the emotional one) is secondary.  I find that when those children grow up, they rebel and want nothing to do with "the number".  They go out of their way to be "normal" at any expense.
 
Thankfully, while growing up with diabetes, I was never really deprived of any food (within limits of course).  (Then again, should any parent, regardless of having diabetes allow their children to have 10 cookies instead of 2?)  Now, with my daughter, I try and do the same.  As an example, they had a "feast" the other day at school.  It was really important for her to be a part of it. So, I asked to be there (or you can ask the school nurse to be there in your place if you are not able to attend) and just bolused for the "feast".  That way, she felt like she didn't miss out on anything but still came home with a "normal" blood sugar number.
 
Maybe your daughter could have eggs (or another "no carb" food) at school with her friends?  She would still be participating in the fun without compromising her health.

With all this said, I KNOW this is not easy!!!  We all must remember that, for the most part, what we ask our children with diabetes to eat should be no different than what any "good" parent should expect of their children without diabetes.  So often, we feel bad or guilty about what we are "depriving" them of.  When you really think about it, Americans would be a lot healthier if they ate like our children with diabetes.  Just something to think about......

Hope this helps!!
All my best