DIABETES IN CHILDREN: CHILDREN’S PARTIES AND DIET WHILE TRAVELING

Children’s parties and a diabetic diet

Your child can have parties.

Arranging a child’s birthday party if he has diabetes may demand some ingenuity, but can be readily done. If it is his own party you will not want your child singled out so that everyone else can have cake except him, so you will use only foods suitable for those with diabetes, and tell your child (beforehand if he is old enough, but unobtrusively if you are handing round the food at the time) how much he can have. In general you will rely on savory foods such as nuts, potato chips, party size pies and cocktail sausages. You may have to allow a little more carbohydrate at the party and make adjustment at the next meal. You can make a sugarless sponge or use diabetic jellies or an ice-cream cake as the birthday cake.

Coping with a diet when travelling

Try to keep the diet while travelling. Be prepared for delays.

Usually, when planning a trip it is possible to manage the schedule to fit in with usual meal times, and no special changes in diet are necessary. Always be prepared for delays, however, by carrying food with you, so that if it is not possible to keep to a timetable, the carbohydrate part of the diet at least can be given on time, and the risk of the glucose in the blood becoming too low is avoided. Even if you expect to be only a little late for a meal, it is best to give some of the carbohydrate at the right time and allow for this when the proper meal is taken later.

If your child is prone to travel sickness you may be wise to give an anti-sickness tablet before starting off, and your doctor will prescribe a suitable one for him. It is always essential to carry extra glucose or sugar (such as barley sugar) with you so you can cope with a possible hypo reaction or vomiting.

In long distance travelling, such as overseas air travel, it may be necessary to rearrange the meal plan to fit in with changes in local time. This can be quite easily done, but should be discussed with your dietitian or doctor when you know the flight schedule. Once again, a supply of dry biscuits or crackers will be a good precaution against unexpected delays.

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