Diabetes Outreach Network
QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE TO DIABETES FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

Chapter 17
Special Issues: Concerns of Children

Parents and children need to accomplish ordinary tasks in each development stage of childhood. The main job of a child is to grow.

Parent Roles

• Forcing a child to eat and withholding food does not work.
• Set regular meal and snack times for your child.
• You are responsible for selecting the foods offered and determining snack and meal times.
• Everyone in the family can and should eat the same foods. Children with diabetes do not need special foods.
• Some of the sugar-free items (sugar-free soda, gelatin or pudding) may be helpful if your child needs less carbohydrate at a snack or meal.
• Set a good example. Eat what you want your children to eat.
• Provide your child with support and show interest in your child's diabetes care.
  Provide your child with more snacks (or less insulin) if activity level goes up.
• If a child won't eat and extra carbohydrate is needed, have some options available (examples: juice, regular soda, crackers).
• Be aware of behavior changes (crying, irritability) that may signal a low blood glucose level.
• Always be prepared (glucagon kit, extra carbohydrate sources, insulin, testing supplies, etc).

Children with diabetes...

• Need to eat when hungry.
• Need to grow and develop.
• Need to have insulin and diet therapy adjusted to fit their lifestyles.
• Need to take gradual charge of their diabetes with parental support.
• Need to be able to do the things other children do.
• May benefit from attending summer camp for children with diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes in Youth…

• While children with or at risk for type 2 diabetes may be overweight, most of the above guidelines are still applicable.
• Type 2 diabetes in youth can be greatly modified by lifestyle changes.
• It is important for the whole family to be supportive, focusing on eating well and increasing physical activity. This way everyone can be healthier.
• Teach children to tune in to their body signals, so they can learn to eat when physically hungry and stop before they are too full.
• Avoid using food as a reward
• Eat regular meals and snacks. Don’t forget to eat breakfast!
• Aim for 5 a day (fruit and vegetable servings).
• Reduce or eliminate sweetened drinks. Have water instead.
• Move more. Sit less. Limit screen time to a maximum of 2 hours a day.
• Realize some overweight children may do well to just maintain their weight until they can grow into it.
• Let your child know he or she is accepted unconditionally, whatever his or her weight.

References:
Healthy Kids Healthy Weight: Tips for Families with Kids of all Shapes and Sizes; Michigan Department of Community Health, Michigan Department of Education:

www.mihealthtools.org/schools

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity: Overweight in Children and Adolescents:

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/