(HealthDay News) -- Managing your child's diabetes is challenging enough, but it's compounded when the youngster becomes sick from something else.
The American Diabetes Association offers these suggestions:
- Don't stop giving your child insulin, even if the youngster doesn't have much of an appetite. Call the child's doctor if you're not sure about how to administer insulin during a sick day.
- Try not to make major changes to your child's diet. For a child with an upset tummy, offer liquids with carbohydrates, including broth, gelatin, sports drinks, fruit juice and frozen fruit bars.
- Make sure your child drinks plenty of water. Avoid any beverage with caffeine.
- Check with the doctor before giving any over-the-counter medication. Many drugs have sugar and/or alcohol that can affect your child's blood glucose levels.
- It's critical to carefully monitor your child's blood glucose and ketone levels during an illness, so make sure you check the blood every few hours and urine several times daily.
