Sick Days

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If your child's diabetes is in pretty good control, she probably won't get sick more often than people without diabetes, but everyone does get sick once in a while. In people with diabetes, a cold, flu, and other illness can make blood glucose levels go a little berserk.

Whenever your child is sick, it's important for her to drink a lot of fluids. If she's not eating, she should drink fluids with carbohydrates in them, like fruit juice, sports drinks, or ginger ale. If she is eating, she should drink her usual sugar-free beverages. Drinking a lot will prevent her from becoming dehydrated, which can make her sick even more.

You should talk to your child's doctor ahead of time about what medicines are better for people with diabetes. For example, her doctor will probably think she should take sugar-free cough syrup instead of the regular kind. If you're not sure whether your child should take a particular medicine, call her doctor first.

The doctor can write up a sick-day plan for you and your child. It usually includes the doctor's and hospital's phone numbers, instructions on when to take extra insulin, and guidelines on when to call the doctor for help. Get out this plan whenever your child is sick. It's a big help!

Ketoacidosis
Find out some common symptoms of ketoacidosis and the important information you will need to be able to relay to your doctor.

Surviving Sick Days
Learn some general principles for taking care of your child's diabetes along with his or her current illnes.