If your child has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of new information and care instructions you receive. However, diabetes management doesn’t have to be difficult if you stay well-informed and vigilant. Follow the steps below to make caring for your diabetic child less stressful.

How to Provide Diabetes Management to Your Child

1. Monitor Blood Glucose

Because your child can no longer produce insulin, you’ll need to monitor his or her blood sugar levels closely. Check it at mealtime and before bed to ensure that it hasn’t gotten too high or too low. Keeping levels within the recommended range can help protect your child from serious health complications in the future.

2. Treat Low Blood Sugar

Oftentimes, children are not aware if they have become hypoglycemic, which means that you have to keep an eye out for the symptoms. Some of these include drowsiness, weakness, trembling, headaches, and dizziness. In extreme cases, your child can experience convulsions, vomiting, double-vision, and unconsciousness. If your child’s blood sugar has become too low, give him or her concentrated sugar in the form of candy, soda, juice, or honey. You can also visit your diabetes care provider to get glucose tablets.

3. Administer Insulin

Diabetic children must replace the insulin their bodies don’t make with insulin shots. Help your child administer the shots at regular intervals until he or she is old enough to do it alone. The diabetes management professional at your doctor’s office or local pharmacy can give you tips for administering the doses.

4. Maintain a Healthy Diet

A well-planned and balanced diet is essential for diabetes management. Most children with type 1 diabetes will need to eat at the same times every day and closely monitor the amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats they consume. Work with a nutritionist or a dietician to come up with a diabetes diet that works for your family.

5. Rely on Your Healthcare Team

No one expects you to handle a brand new diabetes diagnosis all on your own. Know that you can rely on the diabetes management specialists at your local pharmacy and doctor’s office when you have questions or concerns. Don’t hesitate to ask questions at your next doctor’s appointment or when you pick up your child’s prescription.

Visit the diabetes management professionals at Anderson Pharmacy in Denver, PA, to learn how to best care for your diabetic child. The pharmacists have been advising and treating diabetes patients for more than 30 years and are experts in the field. This community-focused pharmacy is the perfect one-stop-shop for all of your prescription and over-the-counter medication needs. The highly trained staff is dedicated to providing specialized attention to each and every customer. Call (717) 484-2649 with any questions or visit the website for more information.