Healthy eating

Your child needs to eat healthy meals with appropriate portions to support growth and prevent weight gain. The meal plan for your child will also spread carbohydrate throughout the day to prevent high blood sugar after meals. For information on healthy eating and weight management, see the topic Healthy Eating for Children.

For help learning about carbohydrate counting, see:

Carbohydrate counting.

More Information: Diet for children and teens with diabetes

Physical activity

Children and teens need to get at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week, preferably daily.⁷ If your child enjoys watching TV or playing computer and video games, you need to limit the time spent in these activities. Guidelines for child and teen fitness may be helpful in encouraging your child to play sports and take vigorous walks or go bicycling with family members.

Work with your child's teachers and school to make a plan to handle your child's special needs, including testing blood sugar and eating snacks when needed.

Your child can take part in the same activities as other children. For safety:

• Let the coach know that your child has diabetes. If your child does not take insulin, he or she may not be at risk for low blood sugar episodes, but giving the coach a copy of the symptoms of low blood sugar may still be a good idea.
• Take your child's home blood sugar meter to sports practice sessions and games. Check his or her blood sugar level before and after each activity if needed.
• Take a snack that contains carbohydrate to all practice sessions and games in case of a low blood sugar episode.

Home blood sugar monitoring

You and your child will need to monitor his or her blood sugar frequently to know how well it is under control. Talk with your health professional about the safest blood sugar range for your child. Young children may need a higher blood sugar goal than adults because of growth needs and to prevent very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). As your child grows older, the goal can be lowered so that it is closer to the recommended normal or near-normal range.

Home blood sugar monitoring

Insulin injections

Your child may not need to take insulin if his or her blood sugar levels are staying within a target range with meal planning, exercise, and possibly oral medicine. However, at some point, your child may need to take insulin because the pancreas may produce less and less insulin.

If your child takes insulin, you and your child need to know how to prepare and give a shot:

Preparing and giving an insulin injection

Other issues

Other important issues include:

• How to recognize and treat high blood sugar. Blood sugar levels that suddenly rise above a target range can lead to an emergency.

  Preventing high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) emergencies

• How to recognize and treat low blood sugar. Your child is not likely to have a sudden drop in blood sugar level unless he or she is taking sulfonylurea medicines for diabetes or insulin injections and is unable to eat regular meals.

  Dealing with low blood sugar when your child takes only oral medicine for diabetes

  Dealing with low blood sugar when your child takes insulin

• Wearing medical identification at all times. In an emergency, medical identification lets people know that your child has diabetes so they can care for your child appropriately.
• Where to get support. Many areas of the country have support groups for children and teens with diabetes and for family members. These groups provide encouragement and suggestions that may help you and your child deal with the daily issues of diabetes care. Talk with your health professional about groups in your area.
• How to care for the feet. Your child needs to wear shoes that fit properly. He or she should not go barefoot, even in the house. It's a good idea to begin the habit of inspecting your child's feet at the end of each day. Look for signs of injury or infection. If you notice a foot problem, even a minor one, talk with your health professional before treating it.
• What to do for illness. Some general sick-day guidelines may be helpful. These include checking your child's blood sugar every 4 hours during the illness and encouraging your child to drink fluids to prevent dehydration. Do not give your child any nonprescription medicines without talking with a health professional or pharmacist. Some can affect blood sugar levels.

What to think about