low carb for kids?

[suzi]

Hi Folks,
I've read with great interest about low carbing, would it work for children? Andrews T1 and his gone from 6.4 to 8.3 in the last 2years. Hes on 30u of Insumane15 morning, 3-7u of Humalog teatime, and we inject after we've ate, and finally 9u Lantus at bedtime. He's had his insulin changed 4 times since being diagnosed and went on this regime in Feb this year. BMs all over the place, very few sweets, so im figuring that his diet is to blame! He is unfortunate to have Coeliac Disease as well, ALL FOODS have to be gluten free, ie bread, pasta, biscuits, sauces ect. He's very active, most 9yr olds are, so i always thought giving carbs at every meal, snack ect was good, think i got that one wrong . So main question is, how do you carb count, and what is the ratio of insulin to carbs? Before i always gave fast acting 1u for every BG over 5 ie if BG 15 then 2u plus 2units for meal total 4u given sometimes works sometimes doesn't. Oh my brain hurts, i feel like a mathematician, dietician , cook, scrubber and bottle washer!!!!! :?

 

[Jem]

I cannot answer the scientific or medical side of things - but can I congratulate you on being forward thinking enough to consider it?!

I did read someplace a few weeks ago that kids don't go as low on the whole low-carbing thing ... and even if it sounds like you would be using dear son as a guinea pig, it might be worth perhaps doing some reductions in certain carbs and seeing how it goes?

I would maybe concentrate on replacing potatoes with other vegetables (you can mash cauliflower with a little cheese and cream and bake off quickly for a delicious mash) - also consider the portions of rice and pasta that he has, whether some of this could be replaced with protein foods or low carb vegetables? I am not certain he'd notice if the exchange was gradual and you never know what you find him enjoying !!

As to bread - that's a toughie - it's not like you don't already have enough on your "plate" with the gluten intolerance/allergy ... maybe one thing at a time?

As to fruits personally I don't think children should be restricted with their fruit intake, regardless of diabetes (Again, I'm not an expert and have only een diabetic myself for a month or so) but the kind of fruit you could avoid (such as grapes) contain very high simple sugars and also consider offering very fresh marginally underripe fruit - I get great results from eating a green-ish banana but terribly high bgs from eating a yellow or yellow-brown one.

As I have always maintained, we're all different and you have to experiment!

Good luck and congratulations on having your own mind

J/xxx

 

[sugarless sue]

Children are a group we don't like to really advice on re low carbing because of the different growth problems etc.I would say that you could look at maybe lower carb foods,but as for low carb,well there you definitely need expert guidance which we are not equipped to give you.

 

[Jem]

yes Sue, that's very true ... do I need another disclaimer??

*jem doesn't know what's she's talking about BUT likes to offer her thoughts, please don't listen*



xox

 

[gaynor]

Next time you go to the clinic ask if you can see the dietician about carb counting. My son is 4 and I have just started carb counting with him. Basically you work out the units of carbs per meal and then test BS 2 hours after. His BS should be within 2mmol of the pre meal BS. That way you know whether he has had enough insulin, too little or too much. You can then fine tune the ratio of insulin to the amount of carbs he is eating. My son doesn't eat a lot of carbs to be honest as he doesn't eat potatoes of any kind or rice and only eats pasta if having a spag bol. Hope I have explained in an understandable way as I confuse myself sometimes.

 

[sugarless sue]

Thanks Gaynor,it's nice to have this from a parents point of view.

 

[hanadr]

Trouble with kids is They Grow! and their hormone profile changes. It takes brilliant and committed parents to guide kids through the minefield safely. I'm so relieved I never had to.
I think it's hard to keep them low carb, but probabaly desirable and Testing, testing, testing! the sooner the child feels responsible for himself, the better too. They are more likely to be compliant if tthey feel "in charge and grown up". Gentle supervision required. Just call it back-up

 

[suzi]

Thanks for all the advise,
Andrews next appointent is 4/11, will definately being asking about carb counting. He has a fantastic appetite and a diet that would put a lot of us to shame! he eats his 5 a day, only allows me to put flora in the shopping trolley along with fish and prawns, plus all the stuff to make for curries, pasta dishes esp spag bol, yoghurts, lots of brocolli and the odd small bar of fruit and nut!
Just finished a batch of gluten free cup cakes, as a well deserved treat, got our flu jabs yesterday, and still feeling the pain, only injection he dreads
This is a fantastic site and have laughed as well as cried at some of the postings, keep it up, and many thanks for being there
Suzi x

 

[hanadr]

There's actually no need to use Flora instead of butter. I personally like butter more than anything that comes out of a chemlab( but don't eat bread). If you want to be on olive oil, serve it at table like the Spanish and Italians do and dip bread in to it

 

[Jem]

Your lad sounds switched on and smart and like he wants to be in control of his condition - and that, no doubt, is down to you --- congratulations and I'm sure you will both suceed in finding a plan that is enjoyable, healthy and workable

best, Jem xox

 

[Trinkwasser]

There's actually no need to use Flora instead of butter. I personally like butter more than anything that comes out of a chemlab( but don't eat bread). If you want to be on olive oil, serve it at table like the Spanish and Italians do and dip bread in to it

Agreed, butter contains mainly benevolent fats.

Flora is pretty good as margarines go, some of them are full of trans fats and actually far more dangerous than the butter you replace with them. Now trans fats are being replaced with something even *more* dangerous whose name I don't recall just now.

Never eat anything your grandparents wouldn't recognise as food

(or in this case your child!)