Your intuition might tell you to reduce or stop your child's insulin, especially if she is not eating very much. Younger or newly diagnosed children could need reduced insulin depending on their blood glucose level, but other children need just the opposite-extra insulin. Ask your doctor for guidelines for insulin treatment on sick days and call the doctor anytime you're not sure how much insulin to give.

Stay Close to the Meal Plan

You may want to substitute soup and other comfort foods for the usual fare. Be sure to maintain about the same meal times and number of carbohydrates at each meal and snack as you would on a normal day. If your child has an upset stomach and can't eat, give her clear liquids that contain carbohydrates (sports drinks, juices, gelatin, broth, frozen fruit bars).

Give Plenty of Liquids

Encourage your child to drink as much water and other non-caffeinated beverages as she can.

Choose Medications Wisely

Many over-the-counter medications contain sugar and/or alcohol. Although there might not be too much glucose in one dose of cough syrup, it can add up if your child takes it every four hours. If you can't find a glucose-free version or if it's more expensive, just account for the medicine's carbohydrates in the meal plan. Medicines that contain alcohol can lower blood glucose levels. If you choose a medicine that contains alcohol, have your child eat something when she takes it in order to prevent hypoglycemia. You may wish to choose alcohol-free medicines.

In addition, certain medications can affect your child's diabetes. Many decongestants can raise blood glucose levels. And ibuprofen is not safe for anyone with kidney problems. Ask the doctor what over-the-counter medicJuly 4, 2005 Check Blood Glucose and Ketone Levels Frequently

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a danger whenever your child is sick. DKA occurs when a person with diabetes has too little insulin in their system. If left untreated, DKA can lead to coma. To prevent DKA or catch it early, check your child's blood glucose levels often (every few hours) while she's sick. Also, check her urine for ketones several times a day. If she is vomiting or has diarrhea, check ketones even more frequently (maybe even every time she urinates, depending on the severity of the illness).

Foods for Sick Days

When your child is not feeling too well, she may not feel like eating a lot of the foods she normally loves. For example, if her belly is doing somersaults, she's probably not craving a big, spicy plate of nachos. But it's important for her to eat in order to keep her body from burning fats for fuel (and making ketones) and to keep her body energized so it can get better fast. Here are a few flu-friendly food ideas for when a bug has your child down.

Liquids
Fruit Juice
Jell-O
Milkshakes
Popsicles
Soups & Broths (try bouillon, chicken noodle soup, or plain hot broth)
Solids
Fruit
Ice Cream or Sherbet
Hot Cereal
Toast
Crackers

SOURCE: American Diabetes Association
http://www.diabetes.org/for-parents-and-kids/diabetes-care/surviving.jsp

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Last Modified: September 1, 2006

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