Type 1 Diabetes: Getting Better Control

When blood sugar is well controlled, kids with type 1 diabetes live healthier lives with fewer problems. It can be challenging to control blood sugar the way your child's body automatically did before getting diabetes. To keep blood sugar levels from going too high or too low, your child needs to get the right amount of insulin at the right times. How much your child needs changes based on things like what and how much your child eats or how much exercise they get.

• Check blood glucose levels several times a day by doing a finger stick and getting a reading from the glucose meter.

• Change insulin doses, food, and exercise based on the readings.

• Make sure an adult watches when your child checks blood sugar levels or injects insulin.

• If your child has an insulin pump, check the pump and infusion catheter regularly to make sure they're working correctly.

• When your child is sick, check blood sugar levels more often. Also check your child's urine (pee) or blood for ketones as you were taught by the diabetes care team.

• Be sure nurses and other staff at your child's school know how to check blood sugar levels, give insulin, and get help if there's a problem.

• Your child's blood sugar levels are often high or low.

• Your child has ketones in the urine.

• Your child isn't eating or drinking as expected.

• Your child has vomiting or diarrhea.

Your child:

• has severe low blood sugar that doesn't go back up with home treatment

• has fast, deep breathing or trouble breathing

• appears dehydrated; signs include dizziness, drowsiness, a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, crying with few or no tears, dark pee, or peeing less often

Why do kids get low glucose levels? Kids can get low glucose levels if they:

• get too much insulin

• don't test blood glucose levels regularly and don't decrease insulin doses if blood glucose levels are low

• eat less than planned (especially carbohydrates/starches and sugars) or less often 

• increase their exercise

• have mechanical problems with an insulin pump

Why do kids get high blood sugars? Kids can get high blood sugars if they:

• skip insulin doses

• don't test blood glucose levels regularly and don't increase insulin doses if blood glucose levels are high

• don't change insulin doses to match high glucose meter readings

• don't take extra insulin when eating more (especially carbohydrates/starches and sugars)

• decrease their exercise

• have emotional stress

• have physical stress from infections or other illnesses

• have mechanical problems with an insulin pump

• take medicines that can cause higher blood glucose levels, like prednisone or other steroids