Type 1 ten year old and running

[EmmaRW0811]

My son was diagnosed with Type 1 on the 14th November a couple of weeks before his tenth birthday. We're still in the honeymoon phase and we've been getting good control with 90% of his readings between 4-9 using a four-injections-a-day insulin routine and carb counting at meals - keeping most meals to 75g carbs.

Before his diagnosis my son would play rugby for a local club but he's been nervous about going back- because he thinks he's unfit now and because he's scared of what rugby will do to his blood sugars.

So I thought I'd encourage him to come with me for a gentle run while we're on holiday to work out how to do the balancing. On Monday I took him out - and being an energetic ten year old, he went faster and further than I expected and got ahead of me and demanded to go the long way. We ran 4.3 km in 35 minutes. Yesterday we did a second run and he wasn't feeling quite as energetic and we did 2.7 km in 20 minutes.

The problem is one run led to a hypo and the next we overcompensated and he went hyper.

Both mornings we gave him half a unit less novorapid for breakfast. On Monday he had a small fruit juice before running and a 15g carbs cereal bar after running. Yesterday he drank 200ml ribena before and during running (no cereal bar after). Both days had similar normal readings before lunch and we dosed normally for lunch. Both days he was a bit high before the evening meal (around 10). On Monday we dosed normally for the evening meal and two hours later he was hypo with a BG of 2.9 (and we treated with glucose). Yesterday we gave him half a unit less for the evening meal and two hours later he was hyper at 15.8 (and we treated with a 1 unit correction shot).

So what do we try next? The ribena was a temporary sports drink option, I have now got a proper sports drink. I'm thinking that maybe if he drinks that during running he doesn't need to cut the later Insulin dose? Or perhaps I shouldn't have given him so much to drink during the run?

What experience do others have?

 

[Amy993]

Im 16 and have only been diagnosed for 4 months. I am a keen horse rider, and wouldn't let this stop me! I spoke to my DSN about it and she came up with an exercise plan for me. Told me what exercide functions(with reduce of insulin) to use for riding, yard work and the gym. I got straight back to it the day after leaving hospital with the advice of my nurses. So that is what i advise to do Also if my sugars are high before exercise i leave it, and fairly low(in the 4) i would take some long acting carbs.

 

[catapillar]

Just to show your son as another way of giving him confidence he can go back to rugby if he wants Henry Slade is a professional rugby union player with type 1 diabetes, for Exeter, and England - http://www.diabetes.co.uk/celebrities/henry-slade.html

You might want to have a look at the run sweet website for tips on exercising with type 1diabetes - http://www.runsweet.com

It is about trial and error. But the approach of try discard and what do we try next might be a bit black and white - you might need to play about with a bit more to find the grey areas that work for you. And something might work perfectly one day and not the next or the other way round. There are certain things I try to do to help my blood sugar when exercising, but it's certainly not "I must do X y and z and, ta da, I have perfect blood sugar" I just go with the flow of what it's doing on that day and correct with insulin or glucose if needed.

I do use a continuous glucose monitor and I really value that when running longer runs, 10k+.

 

[azure]

Sadly there's no magic answer @EmmaRW0811 Experience will give you the best approach.

It's also important to bear in mind that exercise can continue to,affect the body for some time afterwards, leading to possible hypos hours later. In addition, some people find some kinds of exercise actually raise their blood sugar.

Did he test during his run? That's what I do during exercise - test at regular intervals and top up with glucose as needed (or a carb snack if it's extended exercise).

 

[EmmaRW0811]

Thank you all. His BG readings have actually been all over the place on days he hasn't run too. I guess at least part of this is the different routine of being on holiday and at the grandparents... you've all reassured me to keep trying: both to do things like running and to try to see patterns and understand it better for better management- but you've also reminded me that the latter will never be perfectly mathematically controlled. That's a useful reminder (I'm afraid I'm professionally a physicist and maybe therefore thinking too much like physics rather than biology ).

 

[mc9]

I do American football, basketball and wrestling, if you have any questions feel free to ask

 

[fletchweb]

[QUOTE="EmmaRW0811, post: 1341742, member: 353891"

What experience do others have?[/QUOTE]

I was diagnosed at 4 years old at a time when one shot a day was pretty typical for most Type 1 diabetics and tight control was more of an ideal than anything else, back in 1966 most people were happy just to be able to continue to live.

My parents really encouraged me to participate in sports feeling that this would be the best way of keeping my BGs in line. I'm almost 55 now and I think being so physically active for most of my life was/is partly responsible for the physical condition I am in today - and the lack of complications that many experience. So I would encourage him to continue being physically active. His BGs may continue to be all over the place considering his age still growing, puberty etc

I found competitive sports would always spike my BGs because of the associated Adrenalin that goes along with that sort of activity but other challenging activities were far better I discovered quite by accident --- as a teenager ---- that Wilderness canoe trips was my magic pill. You ate very little and were always physically active - it was a God send - half the time I didn't even give a shot because what little food I was taking in (mostly protein) was being worked off Any way I still canoe today as is indicated by my profile pic. I also live along a tidal river so that helps ...

 

[EmmaRW0811]

Ooh. Thanks! My son had a couple of canoeing sessions with Thames Young Mariners and absolutely loved them (before diagnosis): I'm going to have a conversation with them about what support they can offer in their holiday time day long courses. I'd like it for him to do more of that.

In the meantime I'm slowly encouraging him to keep up the running - knowing the side benefit that it will be good for me too (I ran a 10 mile race before I got pregnant with him, but haven't run for 11 years and am now overweight myself - so my interest in getting him running has a selfish aspect too!)

 

[Ollied123]

Hi Emma.
Unfortunately like azure said there is no quick fix in controlling sugars and exercise. It is trail and error. I just wanted to say that I have had type 1 diabetes for 12 years and I am a semi professional rugby player. Having the condition certainly doesn't mean that your son cannot play. Henry slade and Chris pennell are both examples of this. I think the key is to test as often as possible whilst exercising and taking it easy for a time before your son really understands his condition.
There is a fantastic interview with Chris pennell on BBC sport where he talks about the condition and a day in his life.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

 

[Carol F]

My eight year plays football and swims..generally we do a check before he starts sport and he takes 10g chocolate..(this should cover you for an hour).. hope this helps

 

[Carol F]

Its the same in school..before p.e..does a check and takes 10g chocolate....treat time!