Managing T1D During Illness: A Concise Summary
Managing diabetes can be challenging when your child is sick. You need a clear and concise guide to manage BG, treat symptoms, and keep your child safe. The following chart summarizes the best response to different blood sugars, and how that response should change when your child has vomiting/diarrhea (or not), and has different levels of ketones (or not).
This chart summarizes the more detailed information outlined in this Managing Diabetes During Illness section.
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BG < 4.0 mmol/L |
BG > 14.0 mmol/L |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Decrease insulin Push sugar fluids Call diabetes nurse/doctor |
With vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite | With vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite | Check Urine or Blood for Ketones | ||
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Decrease insulin Push sugar-containing fluids Call diabetes nurse/doctor if:
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Usual insulin Push sugar-containing fluids if on N/NPH Call diabetes nurse/doctor if:
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Urine Ketones negative Blood Ketones < 0.6 | Urine Ketones positive Blood Ketones 0.6‑3.0 | Blood Ketones > 3.0 | |
| With or without vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite: | With or without vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite: | With or without vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite: | |||
| Eating normally, no vomiting, no diarrhea | Eating normally, no vomiting, no diarrhea |
Usual insulin Push sugar‑free fluids Call diabetes nurse/doctor if:
|
Give extra insulin Push sugar-free fluids Call diabetes nurse/doctor if:
|
Give extra insulin | |
|
Usual insulin Push sugar‑free fluids |
Usual insulin Push sugar‑free fluids |
Push sugar‑free fluids | |||
| Contact medical help! Your child may have diabetic ketoacidosis | |||||
References
The above information was adapted with permission from The Alberta Children’s Hospital Diabetes Clinic information handouts.
The above information was reviewed for content accuracy by clinical staff of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Diabetes Clinic.
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