Caring for the Littlest Patient
Caring for a child is a challenge at the best of times. When the child has diabetes, the challenge is multiplied. But it can be overcome, with knowledge — and lots of love.
Children with diabetes are suffering from Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes or diabetes juvenile. The number of children under the age of five being diagnosed with diabetes juvenile has almost doubled over the years.
Caring for children is a challenge under the best of circumstances, and children with diabetes need even more special care and attention.
Ask your doctor if there is any doubt in your mind.
Symptoms Of Diabetes
First, if you are wondering whether your child has diabetes in the first place, here are some signs to look for:
- Often complains of feeling thirsty
- Hungry more often
- Suddenly loses weight
- Urinates more than usual,
- Diapers more wet than usual
- Occasional fruity smelling breath
If you notice any of these symptoms in your child, discuss with your doctor, the possibility you have a child with diabetes.
Special challenges
You or your caregiver will have to closely monitor your child's blood sugar throughout the day to be sure it stays within a safe range.
Ask your doctor if there is any doubt in your mind.
Children with diabetes also require daily insulin shots, which can be traumatic for you as well as your child!
When administering, both finger pricks for the blood sugar tests and the insulin shots, you should be as quick and calm as possible about the procedure.
If your child is playing, go where he or she is rather than having them come to you. That helps establish the procedure as just a normal part of their day.
Of course, your child will resist these procedures, and it can be hard for parents and caregivers to remember they are doing this for the child's health.
It must be done, however, and you may have to learn to restrain the child gently.
It also helps to give them a big hug and a kiss after it's finished to make sure they understand you still love them even though this hurt a bit.
Another problem is that children with diabetes can't tell you when they are feeling the effects of low blood sugar, which is another reason for careful monitoring.
Children, in general, can be picky eaters, and children with diabetes are no different.
The challenge here is in making sure that all your alternatives fit within a healthy and appropriate diabetic diet.
Have as wide a selection of those foods available as possible so that when they do refuse certain foods, you can tempt them with an appropriate alternative.
Children with diabetes should otherwise develop the same way, and at the same rate, like other children of their age.
As long as you take the necessary precautions to treat diabetes, and your child seems normal in all other ways, there's no reason why he or she shouldn't be a perfectly healthy and happy child.