BOUNTIFUL - With the Christmas holidays upon us and Christmas cakes, cookies, pastries and candies in abundance, watching one's glucose for those with diabetes requires a lot of self-restraint. Parents must monitor minor children who have Type 1 diabetes.
Blake Anderson, 7, has Type 1 diabetes. Blake is in the first grade at Saint Olaf School and he and his family are members of Saint Olaf Parish.
"Because he likes chocolate, I will have to watch him and make sure I know everything he is eating, especially during the holidays, so I can keep his insulin level up," said Colleen Anderson, Blake's mother. "The thing that is hard about the holidays is people are having parties and there is plenty of food and goodies around all the time. Blake has to have three meals a day at the same time every day, and snacks in between. His snacks can only have about 15 carbohydrates, or his blood sugar will increase."
Colleen said a normal blood sugar is between 80 and 120, and when Blake's blood sugar increases, it can reach as high as 370.
"We have to test him seven to 10 times a day to check his blood sugar level, and give him about four shots of insulin a day," said Colleen. "Blake has learned how to test his own blood sugar within the past three months, and is now able to recognize when his blood sugar is too high or too low."
An estimated 17 million people in the United States have diabetes, of which about 1.4 million have Type 1 diabetes, a chronic, lifelong disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to properly control blood sugar levels. High levels of glucose in Type 1 diabetics can include the symptoms of fatigue, increased thirst, increased urination, vomiting and weight loss in spite of increased appetite.
Blake was diagnosed when he was 16 months old during a visit to Colleen's parents home in eastern Washington, said Colleen, whose father is a Type 2 diabetic. "Blake woke up from a nap one day and he was really thirsty and his diaper was really wet. I knew those were two signs of diabetes and I knew I needed to test his blood sugar. His blood sugar was 372.
"My husband, Lance, and I went from not knowing anything about how to take care of a toddler with diabetes to having to learn it all. We were emotional about the situation because we had to poke him to test his blood sugar and give him three or four shots a day," said Colleen. "The only good thing about his diabetes is that because he was diagnosed as a baby, he does not know life without it.
"It is great that he goes to Saint Olaf School because the school is small and all the students know him, look out for him, and support him," she said. "I have a container of snacks for him in the school office, and I have instructed all his teachers on how to test his blood sugar."
The Diabetes Center at Primary Children's Hospital gives helpful tips for surviving the holidays: Plan ahead for holiday treats. Stuff stockings with things such as toys, pencils or movie tickets instead of candy. Limit high calorie holiday snacking. Small servings or tastes may allow you or your child to sample holiday foods without significant impact on blood sugar levels. Make sure the holidays involve plenty of fun activities that don't revolve around food.
Stay Connected With Us