Newswise — LOS ANGELES (July 5, 2016) – For kids, the perfect summer can mean sleeping in, eating whenever hunger strikes, playing outdoors in the sun, swimming and staying up late. But for children with Type 1 diabetes, all of the above, and the general lack of schedule, can wreak havoc with their blood sugar levels.
Michelle Schweiger, DO, MPH, director of Pediatric Endocrinology at the Cedars-Sinai Maxine Dunitz Children’s Health Center, says, “It’s important for all parents of children with Type 1 diabetes to stick to an eating and sleeping schedule, even during summer break, and to continue monitoring their blood sugars four to six times a day.”
Schweiger outlines her top summertime tips for patients with Type 1 diabetes, during a video interview with Avery, a reporter for Cedars-Sinai Kids Talk. The video interview is now available for downloading and streaming on the Cedars-Sinai YouTube channel. Schweiger’s summertime guidelines for her patients with Type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes, include:
• If a child is sleeping later than usual, parents should check the child’s blood sugar levels before letting the child go back to sleep.
• When traveling, parents should make sure to pack a letter from their child’s pediatric endocrinologist authorizing them to travel with syringes, needles and pumps. Also, remember that pumps should not go through airport X-ray machines.
• Insulin needs to be at room temperature. If your child is taking a road trip, travel with a cold pack for the insulin.
• Exercise affects blood sugar levels. Kids who are outside playing all day may need less insulin, so parents need to monitor and measure carefully.
• Check blood sugar levels before your child goes swimming. If your child is on an insulin pump, you probably need to disconnect it before your child gets in the water.
• If your child wants to take a break from wearing an insulin pump this summer, talk with your doctor about long-acting injections.
• Parents sending their child to summer camp need to make sure the camp is aware of the child’s needs. Find out if there is a counselor or a camp nurse who is familiar with the needs of Type 1 diabetes patients and who can treat high or low blood sugar levels. Find out where your child can store insulin and other diabetes-related equipment.
• During the summer, children might be enrolled in new activities where others are not aware of their medical needs. Consider purchasing your child a diabetes ID bracelet.
• Remember to stay well hydrated, especially in hot weather. Dehydration causes a rise in blood sugars. A good rule of thumb is to never wait until you are thirsty to drink water.
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If you would like to schedule an interview, please contact Soshea Leibler at 213-215-8000 or [email protected]
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Michelle Schweiger, DO, MPH, director of Pediatric Endocrinology at the Cedars-Sinai Maxine Dunitz Children’s Health Center, says, “It’s important for all parents of children with Type 1 diabetes to stick to an eating and sleeping schedule, even during summer break, and to continue monitoring their blood sugars four to six times a day.” Schweiger outlines her top summertime tips for patients with Type 1 diabetes, during a video interview with Avery, a reporter for Cedars-Sinai Kids Talk. The video interview is now available for downloading and streaming on the Cedars-Sinai YouTube channel.
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