Children with Type 1 diabetes must content with keeping their blood sugar levels in balance. Type 1 diabetes, formerly called juvenile diabetes, occurs in children and young adults. Their bodies are unable to create insulin which is necessary to convert glucose into energy. Children with Type 1 diabetes will need insulin injections to convert the glucose. Insulin pills will not work as they are digested once they enter the stomach. Insulin that is injected under the skin is not digested; therefore, it is the best way to get insulin into the body.

Your child’s doctor will discuss the types of insulin your child needs. They may need a long-acting form of insulin or may need rapid-acting insulin. They may also need a combination of different types of insulin. Your doctor will also work with you to determine the dosages and frequency of the insulin. Some types of insulin are administered right before a meal. Some types are given in the morning or night before bed. The dosage will depend on your child’s weight or other factors.

Your doctor will advise you what is a normal level for your child’s blood sugar. Your child may test higher or lower depending on what they’ve eaten, the amount of insulin they received, if they engaged in strenuous activities or other factors. If your child’s blood sugar is below the recommended amount, you may need to learn how to treat low blood sugar in Type 1 diabetes. http://kidshealth.org/parent/managing_diabetes/living/hypoglycemia.html

If your child experiences hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, they may begin to exhibit signs or symptoms. However, not all children will show signs of having low blood sugar. For this reason, it is important to test their sugar to determine the exact level of blood sugar.

But some children do exhibit symptoms of low blood sugar. They may experience extreme hunger and can become very shaky as a result. Sometimes they may complain of a stomachache as a result of the hunger. Children who have low blood sugar may become very shaky or experience tremors. They may have a rapid heartbeat and they can break out into a cold sweat.

They may appear very pale or ashen which is a grayish color. Children with low blood sugar can become very moody or irritable. They may appear fatigued and complain of being overly tired. They may feel faint or experience dizziness. Their vision can become blurred. Children with very low blood sugar can have a seizure or lose consciousness. http://kidshealth.org/parent/managing_diabetes/living/hypoglycemia.html#

Sometimes when children with Type 1 diabetes experience lows, they can have a combination of the symptoms listed above. If your child appears to have one or more of the symptoms listed above, contact your health care professional or test their blood sugar.

If someone with Type 1 diabetes exhibits signs or symptoms of low blood sugar, it is important to test their glucose levels immediately. This will allow you to know the exact level and then can begin treatment. Do not assume that the individual is low just by the symptoms above. Treating them for low blood sugar when they are not low can cause complications.

If you suspect that your child is experiencing a low, test their glucose level. Use a lancing device to prick their finger to get a drop of blood. Do not use the pads of the fingers as a testing area as this is very sensitive. Use the tops or the sides of the fingers or thumb or other areas that your doctor recommends. Insert a glucose test strip into your glucose meter and wait until the screen shows it is ready. This could take a few seconds. Then hold the testing strip onto the drop of blood. Wait about five seconds and the glucose level will appear on the screen.

If the test indicates that your child is lower than your doctor recommends, you will need to bring up their levels. Give the child an amount of glucose that your doctor has recommended as part of their treatment plan. This could come in the form of glucose gel or tablets, candy such as life savers or even cake gel that you can get from the pharmacy. Give the child the recommended amount and wait about 10 or 15 minutes and retest. Do not give the child insulin if their levels are too low without first checking with your health care professional.

Keep a log of your child’s blood sugar levels and the amounts of insulin that you give your child. This will help you to see if your child is developing a pattern of highs or lows and when they may be occurring. Show this log to your doctor at your child’s visits. They may adjust insulin levels if your child is repeatedly showing highs or lows.

Exercise will help to keep your child’s blood sugar levels from becoming too high. However, strenuous or prolonged exercise could make a child’s sugar levels drop. If your child engages in exercise, make sure you test him prior to exercise. If the exercise is prolonged, check their levels during the exercise. You may need to give the child some glucose or a snack during exercise to keep their sugar from plummeting. Talk to your doctor about your child’s exercise habits.

Feed your child a healthy, balanced diet. He or she will need to eat carbohydrates but you will need to make sure they are getting enough insulin to cover the carbs. If they get too much insulin, they will experience a low. Your doctor will generally check the child’s A1C levels which is an average of their blood glucose over a three month period. Ask your doctor or health care professional what the targeted A1C level should be for your child. http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/information//blood_sugar_management/testing/a1c-levels.html

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact your doctor before using the information presented here.