My son has diabetes!: Care for healthy growth

For many parents to discover that their child suffers from this disease is a bad surprise.But if you have the necessary knowledge, you can make this pathology more bearable and get normal development.

Marcelito is a quiet 6 -year -old boy.A few days ago, the teacher called her very worried mother because after the physical education class, the little one was very rare and complained about stomach pain.Perspired, with low pressure he said that his muscles hurt.His mother thought he had worked hard in gymnastics class.However, at home and at lunchtime, Marcelito said he was not hungry, he was very irritated and his wet clothes.

The child's mother called a doctor home, who after examining it warned that it had to hospitalize it since it presented a picture of hyperglycemia, which made it suspect a type 1 diabetes. The child was discharged after five days with the indicationof placing insulin for the rest of his life.What happens when a child is diagnosed with this disease?How should your parents act?

The first thing is that you should know how to handle your diet in relation to the insulin you need and learn to differentiate food, explains Rebeca Flores, an academic of the School of Nutrition and Dietary of the U. Andrés Bello.It is necessary that parents know how to differentiate foods that have carbohydrates from those with proteins and those with oils or fats.

Carbohydrates

The specialist recommends using colors to identify foods with carbohydrates, which when eating are transformed into glucose.“These foods have to measure them according to the contribution of carbohydrates they have.The counting can be made based on the fingers of the hand, ”he explains.For example, says the nutritionist, if the breakfast must give 50 grs.of carbohydrates, it is calculated that a cup of milk is equivalent to a finger, (each is worth 10 grams).The 40 grs.that remain can be distributed in slices of whole wheat bread (each with 10), more half avocado that is worth 5 and the sum is completed with a small fruit that is worth 15.

The parents of a diabetic child should know that the pancreas of their child will no longer produce more insulin, a hormone that helps the cells receive the energy they need.The medical team will teach you how to place the doses of insulin and to differentiate them according to their action times: fast action insulins, fast action analogues (aspartic, lispro, glulisine), intermediate action insulins (NPH) and basal prolonged analogues of action (Glargina and Detemir).

“The doses of ultra fast action analogues have a shorter start of action and less total action time than regular insulin.They can be administered immediately before meals by reducing hyperglycemia (excess blood sugar), post prandial posts (after meals) and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), according to their effect on the body, ”adds theUNAB academic.

Insulin's doses or UI (units) are indicated by the treating doctor.It is also important that parents know how to measure their child's glycemia at different times of the day and even around 3 in the morning to adjust insulin indications.

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