Toddlers 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 in the past five years. Caring for toddlers
is a challenge under the best of circumstances, and toddlers with
diabetes need even more special care and attention.
Symptoms
First, if you are wondering whether your toddler 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 toddler 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.
Ideally this means 6-12 mmol just before meals.
Toddlers 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 toddlers with diabetes can't tell you when they
are feeling the effects of low blood sugar, which is another reason for
careful monitoring.
Toddlers in general can be picky eaters, and toddlers 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.
Toddlers with diabetes should otherwise develop the same way, and at
the same rate, as other children of their age. So as long as you take
the necessary precautions to treat the 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.
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