Scheduling

As your child grows, her diabetes care will grow with her. Over the years, she may need additional injections, changes on insulin dose, a new meal plan, or even a different insulin delivery system.

Why so many changes? For one thing, diabetes is different for everyone. Some children with diabetes can maintain good control on two shots a day. Others may need four shots a day. It can take some time to discover the best insulin schedule for your child. As she grows, she will need to eat more, which means that she will probably need more insulin to handle her increased food intake and any time your child's life changes, her diabetes treatment may need to change. For example, if she joins the basketball team, she will have to fit her shots and snacks around games and practices.

At times, you may feel that your child's treatment is not working as well as it should. She may develop consistently high blood glucose levels or have extreme swings from lows to highs or it may be difficult to fit certain aspects of diabetes care into her schedule. Whatever the problem, don't let it get out of hand.  Talk with your child and her doctor or diabetes educator about possible changes in diabetes care that could improve her control.