Can she eat anything??

[Mum of type 1]

Hello everyone,
Its been a month since my DD of 7 was diagnosed as type 1. I want to add we live outside of the UK but in Europe. I would like to get opinions on the advice given to us from our team. The whole idea was " she can eat whatever she wants, nothing is to be withheld"
I just want to add that we have always had healthy eating in the family and the kids don't have whatever they like anyway. My dad is a type 2 diabetic of 30 years, he didnt agree. Thank you

 

[Rokaab]

Technically T1's can eat anything they want, as long as they know how to bolus for it (amount, timing, if it needs to be split), however somethings do cause a lot more effort to deal with due to about a million different reasons
Though I would say that sweets act really quickly so should really be kept for hypo treatment

 

[In Response]

It is important to eat as healthy with Type 1 as ift is if you don’t have diabetes.
There is no Type 1 diet provided you know how to dose insulin (how much insulin and when).
If something is unhealthy for someone without diabetes, it is healthy for someone with Type 1.

 

[Jaylee]

Hello everyone,
Its been a month since my DD of 7 was diagnosed as type 1. I want to add we live outside of the UK but in Europe. I would like to get opinions on the advice given to us from our team. The whole idea was " she can eat whatever she wants, nothing is to be withheld"
I just want to add that we have always had healthy eating in the family and the kids don't have whatever they like anyway. My dad is a type 2 diabetic of 30 years, he didnt agree. Thank you

Hi,

You & yer kid are doing great. It's only been early days for you guys.

I was brought up pretty much on a whole food diet. The sweets were a treatment for "emergencies." (During hypo.)
Even pre diagnosis. It was just Easter & Christmas on the treats?

The cold fact for me with the insulin regime I am prescribed or use now is that some food stuffs just arn't complimented by the exogenous insulin working profile. No matter how I run at it.
I've come to accept that the foods recomended "on paper" have never been trialed by by the HCPs in the real world with a non functioning pancreas & balancing exogenous insulin.

Your child could also be in the "honeymoon phase?" Still early days.

What sort of foods is your dad disagreeing on?

 

[Mum of type 1]

Thanks to everyone for replying. Yeah, the counting carbs sounded to good and easy to be true. But sugar? Fat? Colourings? Conservatives? Nothing to be said about those. Thats what my dad didnt like. And luckily got in touch with a family friend who is a professor endo and she said the same thing, thats its not only the carbs. Just now had pancakes, checked the carbs, gave the bolus.... Yeah right... Huge spike. Its what you all said a healthy diet just like anyway child should have. In this country there is the highest percentage of child obesity in Europe so giving the child what they want is only normal. Good luck to you all

 

[Jaylee]

Thanks to everyone for replying. Yeah, the counting carbs sounded to good and easy to be true. But sugar? Fat? Colourings? Conservatives? Nothing to be said about those. Thats what my dad didnt like. And luckily got in touch with a family friend who is a professor endo and she said the same thing, thats its not only the carbs. Just now had pancakes, checked the carbs, gave the bolus.... Yeah right... Huge spike. Its what you all said a healthy diet just like anyway child should have. In this country there is the highest percentage of child obesity in Europe so giving the child what they want is only normal. Good luck to you all

Hi,

How high did your child spike? Even non-Ds fluctuate within a certain parameter, of course..
You want the best for your kid. (I kinnda pick up on a little despondency in your post?)
It's a recent diagnosis of your child added to that growing stuff kids do?
Your online & "phoning a friend" figuring it out.. It will gradually make more sense.

Tomorrow, those pancakes may work? It's worth trying a couple more times to see if it was just an off pancake day..
There is always omelette?

 

[Mum of type 1]

Hi thanks for replying. I tried the pancakes twice to make sure, yeah big spike to 270 and came down really fast cause we did some outside activity. Best breakfast omelette as you mentioned, some bacon, slice of brown bread and some milk. She loves it. We live in a village so we have most things fresh. All the best to you!

 

[Jaylee]

Hi thanks for replying. I tried the pancakes twice to make sure, yeah big spike to 270 and came down really fast cause we did some outside activity. Best breakfast omelette as you mentioned, some bacon, slice of brown bread and some milk. She loves it. We live in a village so we have most things fresh. All the best to you!

Hi,

Being diagnosed for only a month? With the possible "honeymoon" period. The fast drop could be due to the pacreas spluttering at inopportune times? Like the "dying swan.." Things may settle later.

I've no doubt your doing the best for the kid.
There will always be "hiccups."

 

[Rokaab]

There will always be "hiccups."

@Mum of type 1 Jaylees comment here is very important and both you and your daughter need to remember this, there will most definitely be days where no matter what you do it does just go all pear-shaped (either with oi without logical reason)

 

[JMK1954]

The 'experts' always give the sort of advice you have been given, but there is always a big difference between dealing with type 1 in theory and what happens in the real world. We are all different and it takes time to become familiar with the action of whatever insulin(s) we take on each of us as individuals. Each insulin is different. With greater experience, things should eventually become easier, but type 1 is never completely predictable, in spite of what we are encouraged to believe. The long list of factors that effect the action of insulin -eg. infections and illness, activity levels, external temperature, other hormones, medication such as steroids, time taken to digest type of carbs consumed etc etc causes all of us frustration at times. You will become your own experts, but it will take time.
There is no doubt about the fact that a healthy diet can only help ! Good luck.

 

[LionChild]

Hello everyone,
Its been a month since my DD of 7 was diagnosed as type 1. I want to add we live outside of the UK but in Europe. I would like to get opinions on the advice given to us from our team. The whole idea was " she can eat whatever she wants, nothing is to be withheld"
I just want to add that we have always had healthy eating in the family and the kids don't have whatever they like anyway. My dad is a type 2 diabetic of 30 years, he didn't agree. Thank you

Well my thinking is first of all to educate yourself as to the carbs in various foods and to try to get to grips with how much insulin is appropriate for those carbs, including considering how glycaemic various foods are. Although some will say you 'can eat what you like' and that is true, it is also true that you are on a learning curve and can only absorb so much information about this subject at a time. So, it really is up to you to work out what you feel you can manage regarding helping your daughter with this enormous challenge, and taking this step by step. I would suggest not jumping into this lifestyle of her eating anything she likes, but try to moderate the high carb, high glycaemic foods, so that there is not too much up and downing of blood glucose levels....otherwise you will both be exhausted!

Take it easy, but seek to educate your daughter as you go along about the impact on her BG, various foods will have, so that together you can discuss what to have in meals, snacks, drinks, etc. After all, what is really important is that she gradually learns about her condition herself, and sees the importance of properly managing it so that she is less likely (at least) to develop complications later in her life..?

 

[Circuspony]

For me personally I can't eat whatever I want whenever I want because some food spikes me so quickly my insulin can't deal with. I may return to normal 5 hours later but I will spend those 5 hours feeling very rough!!

So these days if I have something sweet like birthday cake I'll have a tiny amount or I'll try and grab coffee and cake with a friend if I know I'm going to be walking around after - exercise causes me to drop fast.

It's tough for kids - I'm glad I was diagnosed as an adult - and you don't want to become so obsessive they grow up with food anxiety. If the whole family is eating a diabetic friendly diet then that's much more inclusive

 

[Mum of type 1]

Thank you for all your feedback. Ive been feeling much more positive these days, my daughter has been amazing by being so mature and responsible. Good thing she loves salad! My main goal is to make her a strong, independent person under any situation. Certainly Im seeing now its not only carb counting, I suppose I was looking for rules, but as my dad who has type 2 said that I'll be her" doctor" because everyone is different and there are so many factors playing a part. I can see this true also hearing it from all of you. Thanks again!