It’s never fun when a child gets sick with a cold or flu. They don’t feel good, sometimes
get grumpy and need to be taken care of. This is true for a child with juvenile diabetes
too, but there is the added concern of how their blood glucose levels will be affected by
the illness. This is just another hurdle to deal with once your child has been diagnosed
with diabetes.
If you are giving your child an over-the-counter or prescription medicine be sure to read
the labels and warning or talk to the pharmacist. Some medications will cause a child’s
blood sugar to be elevated and this should be taken into account when planning insulin
dosage and meal plans.
If your child is sick and has no appetite or is vomiting, it is still important that they take
their insulin. By testing their blood sugar frequently you can determine an adjusted
amount of insulin to give them but don’t skip it entirely. If your child’s blood sugar is
too low and they cannot eat anything try giving them a soda that is not sugar free.
Keep in mind that when your child is ill or stressed (or both) their blood sugar will be
raised by that alone. If you are unsure how to help your child or you cannot get their
blood sugars under control, call your doctor for advice.
When your child is sick, check their ketones more often than just in the morning when
they have fasted. If they are not eating because of nausea they could be spilling ketones
into their urine and suffer from ketoacidosis. This is a serious condition that needs
medical attention. Make sure your child is receiving their regular insulin injections and
are drinking plenty of fluids in order to prevent this condition from developing.