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Lisa Bolduc-Bissell says

I would not say that this is common, but certainly not uncommon.  It could be that the stomach bug is still lingering on the inside, even though he feels fine on the outside.  Part of this lingering could mean that his body is not digesting and/or absorbing the food you are putting in it quite the way it should, and so little to no insulin is needed, at least not yet.  Chances are that will change, though, so the best thing for you to do is to keep checking blood sugars and adjusting insulin as needed (with the help of your diabetes care team, if necessary).

Alicia H. McAuliffe-Fogarty says

You should keep in contact with your child's diabetes educator/doctor during a serious illness as insulin requirements vary in each individual and is different each time an individual has an illness.  It is not uncommon for insulin requirements to change drastically, but make sure that you are checking your son's BG frequently because your child's body requirements will change again once he starts feeling better.

Gary Scheiner says

Hi Melissa (I should say "neighbor" because I'm right next door in Wynnewood!) -
 
This is very unusual.  Typically, an illness will trigger further destruction of any functioning beta cells along with some insulin resistance, so insulin needs tend to increase.  Has your son's eating patterns changed since he was sick?  If he is eating very few carbs, his mealtime requirements could go down dramatically.  Also, if he has lingering effects from the "stomach bug", he may not be absorbing his carbohydrates normally.  If it continues, you should probably have your son evaluated by a gastrointenstinal specialist.  One other consideration is the possibility of gluten intolerance (celiac disease), which could cause stomach bug symptoms as well as serious digestion problems.  If your son has not been screened for gluten intolerance, now is a good time to do so.

Gary Scheiner MS, CDE
Owner & Clinical Director
Integrated Diabetes Services
333 E. Lancaster Ave., Suite 204
Wynnewood, PA 19096
toll free: 877-735-3648
(610) 642-6055
fax (610) 642-8046
www.integrateddiabetes.com
gary@integrateddiabetes.com

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