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Type 1 & fruit!

S

suzipuze_

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Parent
Treatment type
Insulin
My 8 yo daughter is type 1 and takes a snack to school every day - usually something starchy like breadsticks or crackers, plus a piece of fruit. She boluses for this and it seems to be enough to get her through to lunchtime
The school have just announced plans that all snacks should be fruit / veg only.
She's not a great fruit/ veg lover and the only ones she does like that could be sent in for a cold snack are strawberries, grapes, raisins, apple and carrots. All high in the carbs/ 'of which sugars' ratio.
I guess I'm really asking for advice as to whether this is going to be ok for her? Do you think it will cause a high peak in her sugars and be enough carbs to see her through to lunch?
Any advice welcome!
 
Hi @suzipuze_ . Is your daughters school aware of her diabetes and all that being diabetic entails?
I really hope they are because they will then understand that your daughter NEEDS to eat foods that she wants in order to keep control of her diabetes.
Definitely do not change her diet just because the school have introduced a new criteria.
Explain that your daughter will suffer if she is forced into an unsatisfactory diet and ask them if they are prepared to deal with the circumstances of your daughter having a hypo at school.
Educate them in life as a diabetic and hopefully they will make an exception to accommodate you and your daughter.
 
I agree with the above advice. Speak to the school and don't change her diet. Those carby snacks are as important as her meds.
 
Thanks for the replies!
Her school are brilliant and I'm sure they will not force this on to her. I was more curious as to whether others could have this type of fruit without any starchy carbs without it causing any issues? And what affect having just the fruit would likely have?
 
Hi @suzipuze_ . I'm a lot older than your daughter and fairly sure that my body reacts differently to food compared to your daughter.
I will quite often have a piece of fruit to tide me over whilst at work, problem is it gives me a spike for an hour or so and then I start to drop again especially if I'm busy. I wouldn't have fruit to see me through a 3 to 4 hr time slot, I would need some complex carbs.
 
I usually have fruit after a meal. When I have it as a snack, I usually have it with something like a digestive biscuit and cheese, or rice cakes and peanut butter.

I would echo the advice to just give your daughter what suits her best, ignore the guidance if need be, and let the school/her peers know why.
 
Banana and Nairn oat biscuit. Delicious.
 
Thanks for this
We will continue with her normal snacks and just let he school know
 

The only way of knowing what effect fruit has on her bg levels is by testing, as a suggestion you could do this on a weekend in the safety of your own home. I eat fruit everyday, but as @therower points out you can't compare the results of a child to a grown adult.

Dig your heals in if the school says that her carby snacks are banned, if they are stubborn and refuse to budge then get her diabetes team to write to the school. Best wishes.
 
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