Re: Sneaking snacks

Hello~

I am new here, and relatively new to diabetes. My daughter was diagnosed right after her 10th birthday in October of 2010. She has been really great about taking the shots and counting her carbs, etc., but we have been finding small candy wrappers and snacks in her pockets and hidden in her bedroom. She has admitted to sneaking food, and we have explained why this is dangerous, but nothing seems to make her stop. It is really frustrating! 

Anyone have experience with this?

Is your daughter taking insulin to cover the snacks?

Maybe to compromise you can allow her to have a certain amount of candy per day so she won't feel as though she has to sneak it. You could talk to your nutritionist about adding it into her daily calories. Just a thought.

I did this as a kid, and I did it because those things were made 'off limits' to me - if I asked I was told no.  Are things like that off limits to her, or can she have something as long as it's covered with insulin?  If she understands that it's ok to have it but has to ask first, that might help.

I was diagnosed in 1945, when I was 6. Sugar was absolutelt forbidden and I did not cheat because I was afraid of what might happen to me. My doctor and my parents made me that way. Now, 66 years later, I "cheat". Lol! I had a quarter cup cup of sugar sweetened ice cream with lunch a few minutes ago. I had a light meal so I could do that, a total 35 carbs. I will be exercising this afternoon, so I know the icecream will not hurt me. I use Skittles, jellybeans, etc to treat lows. That works just as well as glucose tabs, and tastes much better. I see no harmful effects from eating candy or ice cream under suitable conditions. That may not be suitable for someone who is not insulin dependent.

This is the absolutely typical "You can't have that so I want it" response. When you tell a child or an adult that they can't have something, they're going to want it even more.

I have been diabetic since 17 months and I'm 30. I can tell you from experience that it's quite alright to have anything---in moderation.

I would maybe try an approach of "it's ok to have a piece of candy now and then--as long as you check your sugar first". It's not making her feel like she can't ever have candy or that it's dangerous, but it's letting her feel in control of knowing that her sugar is ok enough to have that piece of candy and it's not completely off limits to her.

This question is always asked, My sugars go all over the place from 2 to 10 to 20 and so on. My mom and doctors always ask if im sneaking food, but im not. I think its a matter of lacking in exersise or not handling food portions. Keep me updated I would love to talk more ;)

SarahS

My daughter was diagnosed a year ago, and she is also almost 12. I think its the more the age, but somewhat complicated by the diagnosis. We have ALWAYS limited candy in our household and when she was diagnosed we really tried to impress upon her that it doesn't mean she CAN'T have candy or treats now and again, she just has to deal with them a little differently. She sneaks candy now, but never did before, which is why I think a big part of it is just age and testing boundaries. I'm just trying really hard to call her out on it when I catch her, not get upset when I do, and constantly remind her that treats aren't an absolute NO, they just need to be accounted for.

I used to do the same thing, and sometimes still do.  For me it's more about always being hungry and not knowing what else to do.  I have trouble finding snacks sometimes and I find something to eat, but I'm still hungry, so I eat more...

I am not sure if it is the 'testing boundaries', hunger, or what it is.... My son was diagnosed 2 and a half years ago at the age of 5 and he has been absolutely amazing with how he has done with his whole life change.  He does his routine without problems or question..... until lately.  We have never said NO to candy, and have always explained to him that he can have it... just at a meal time so he can have a 'dose' for it.  He knows he feels yucky when too high or too low, so he has always asked in the past and knows that he doesn't want to get sick.  However lately he has been sneaking candy... and he also has been fighting us with poking his finger.  Probably cause he knows he will test high and get caught that he snuck candy.  Even when he does poke his finger.. he is fighting us with washing his hands... and we have to make him redo it because of a false reeding.  He has been perfect... I mean absolutely amazing with how good he has done... and no it is like total opposite and a constant struggle.  Its not like he is fighting for sweets that he never gets, cause we do allow them at mealtime.  Hopefully this is just a phase.  He was doing well and his A1C was getting to the point where he could get the pump... I don't want him to blow it!

A bad A1c is a reason TO get the pump.  No doctor should ever tell you blood sugars have to be in a certain range to get a pump.  If that was the case, I'd find a new doctor.  If you've not read it, I really recommend John Walsh's book "Puming Insulin."  It's a great resource on how different people with diabetes effectively use pumps.  

Sneaking food is human nature.  Some people do well being really disciplined with diabetes management but most of us rebel against anything restrictive.  

How would you like to be weighed 5 times a day and have to account for any variance up or down?  It's similar with blood sugars.  Sometimes a high is caused because the person with diabetes has done something reckless, or just been forgetful, or done nothing at all.  It's best to just treat it and go on.

NEVER make a big deal out of high blood sugars.  Just give a correction dose and if you see a pattern to the highs or if your child's blood sugar is ALWAYS above the target then talk to his/her doctor about adjusting the insulin.  Growth hormones inhibit insulin sensitivity, as does getting bigger and gaining weight.  Any normal, growing child is going to have highs.

Every person with diabetes is going to have highs, at least occasionally.  Our pancreases don't work and so highs and lows happen.  Are cancer patients made to feel guilty when their white blood cell counts don't respond as they're supposed to?  Yet people with diabetes are supposed to seemlessly manage all of the variables that affect blood sugar.  That's not real life.  

Your child will do better if he/she can not feel undue pressure.  

www.diabetesmine.com/.../teens-with-diabete.html

Thanks for the input, however there are a couple of things that you are missing and filled in the blanks with your own incorrect information.  As he is recently diagnosed... YES it is recommended that his numbers stablize before getting a pump... especially through the honeymoon period where his pancreas is still somewhat active and not totally destroyed.  And Riley's Hospital is a GREAT childrens hospital and we have done our homework and he see's excellent doctors.  He shouldn't be rebelling to anything because we are NOT restricting him from having the foods that he likes, including snacks or candies.  I do not appreciate the assumption that we are not doing what is best for our son as we do NOT put him under pressure.  He leads an active, normal, everyday life... and we work very hard to make it as normal as possible for him, and to not make him feel any pressure or different from kids at school or to not feel Normal!

Timothy-

We definitely had a misunderstanding.  I was trying to help and am sorry if it didn't come across that way.  Based on what you wrote I thought I was giving good advice.

You're right that I don't know your situation.  But I was diagnosed at age 4 and what you are describing in your son's behavior sounds pretty typical of a child with diabetes.  I'm also the parent of a 7-year-old (nondiabetic) son and know they can be contrary.  =)

You're not restricting you son having candy, but you're restricting when he has it.  It may be petty, but sometimes those of us with diabetes do small things to express our defiance and control.  Well, everybody probably does that, but those of us with diabetes tend to do it by eating sugar, fighting blood sugar testing, or skipping shots.  

I didn't realize your son was newly diagnosed.  I thought you said he'd had diabetes for over 2 years.

Regarding the pump, you wrote:

"He was doing well and his A1C was getting to the point where he could get the pump... I don't want him to blow it!"

To me that sounded like you were aiming for some A1c goal in order to be approved for the pump.  And my response was that IF that were the case, you should find a different doctor.  Apparently that's not the case.

With diabetes knowledge is power and it sounds like your famly has done a great job finding good doctors for your child.  By any chance are you at the Parks Nicolett Diabetes Center in MN or the Barbara Davis Center in Denver?  Thought it might be a cool coincidence, since I was a patient at both places.  

You also sound like you're doing a really good job helping your child deal with diabetes day in and day out.  We all find our own ways to manage the stress and daily demands of diabetes.  That's one thing I love about TypeOneNation... you get to hear from lots of different people who understand what it's like and learn from them.  

Take care and have a good Thanksgiving.

-Jenna

       I was diagnosed at july 7 / 2012 and i am sometimes hungry but its not my schedule. My mom has bough me cheese strings, or eggs for when I am hungry that way I will juft eat free foods will lots of protein, for drinks we have crystal light and MIO but acouple days ago I learned you can give a dose of insalin to get your sugars stable (every 15 carbohydrates= 1 dosage of insalin) If you are still worried talk to your specialist or get up around midnight to test her sugars and make sure everythings okay

Avoid soda, diet soda and flavored juices,

Walk is great to increase metabolism, do walk for 30 minutes daily,

Do take whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits more in your diet meals....

We're doing a blood drive at school, and I really want to participate,  I just don't know what it will be like

Has anyone donated blood before? I'm looking for some information from someone who has done it before, or anyone who can tell me about donating blood....