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Inject for snacks

Shell1

Well-Known Member
Messages
388
Location
Manchester
Type of diabetes
Parent
Treatment type
Pump
My 9 year old has type one and injects 4times a day and we carb count ,if she wanted to have a snack in between meals how do we go about this with insulin instead of saying no can she inject to eat or is this not good for you ?


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Depends what the snack is really. I would inject for a bag of crisps but maybe not for a few grapes. The beauty of carb counting though is you're not restricted to a certain number of injections. If I only eat twice a day, 2 injections. However, if I have lots of small meals, I inject accordingly. To start with I would perhaps test blood sugars a little more until you get used to how your daughter reacts to certain snacks. Good luck !
 
Thank you,she normally has tea at 3.45 as soon as she comes home from school otherwise she hypos so about 6ish she often s very hungry so could I inject for toast of cereal or sandwich. I normally just take her mind of food but if she is genuinely hungry I want to be able to let her eat but not sure what ratios to follow do not want to bring on a hypo but am so scared of her sugars being high normally only allow her 3 meals and nothing else


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Hi,

I can't talk from experience about dealing with snacks for a hungry diabetic child after school. My Grandchildren who are not diabetic are usually ravenous when they come in from school. The six year old settles for Quavers and the nine year old has one biscuit. Both have Smoothies as well.

When I have a snack I have to inject depending on what the snack is. On my regimen, I test BS to see what it is, have the snack and inject accordingly. I test again after 2 hours. Everything I eat affects my BS including black coffee!

I can only suggest that you test to see what is happening to your daughter's blood sugar after eating snacks.
 
Well, if it was me, I would inject. Diabetes is hard enough as it is, without a strict regime of food/meals etc. Sometimes it's just not practical to eat 3 meals a day at set times.
I would keep counting the carbs for snacks in the same ratio as you usually use. I would certainly test more to make sure you maintain control in the early days so you know which foods do what/when to your daughter.
Also, I'm not a doc, I'm telling you what I would do. If I were you, I would just inform your health care providers of your plans and to ask their advice too. Good luck and please let us know how she gets on ;-)
 
Thank you I appreciate your advise my daughters nurse is coming to my home at the end of the week so will add this to my ever expanding list of questions ,this site has really helped me,thank you


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I often snack as a type 1 diabetic and inject depending on level before snack. Main problem that will cause hypos is the overlap of insulin also known as insulin stacking. If my levels are within range before the snack I will use my usual ratios and take 1 unit off. This had worked well for me but might be trial and error for you starting to introduce it.

if im below range depending on my snack size I would not inject

If I was slightly too high I would inject my normal ratios as with 2 lots of insulin bolused I would be in range before my next meal.

If I was alot higher than usual I would inject my normal ratios plus an extra unit for a correction.



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Hi my daughter is also 9 & type 1, have been for a year and a half now. We carb count for snacks that are over 15 carbs for extra insulin. As we were told she can have a snack of 15 carbs without injecting, bit anything higher to give insulin to counteract. Also there had to be a two hour gap between injections. Speaking to your diabetic team will explain & advise property. I must admit I find it hard with my daughter as she always seem hungry & wanting to snack.
Tina x

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I generally don't bother if under 15g carbs. If more I think to myself 'is that really worth jagging up over?' if it is, I bolus as usual and enjoy
 
Hi shes on pump now how things change just 5carbs effect her blood sugar now we bolus for the smallest snack now .wen she was injections we ended up injecting over 10 carbs but it did effect bloods but it was getting her down all the injections


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