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Colouring-In Sheets
 
Great for those wintery afternoons at home, click here to download the new Diabetes SA Colouring-In Sheets.
 
  

Physical Activity

Physical activity is important for all children, including children with type 1 diabetes. There is no reason for a child with diabetes to be excluded from or not participate in sport or any form of physical activity.

Benefits of being active

There are many benefits to physical activity, active children are more likely to:
• Be a healthy weight
• Be happy, relaxed and sleep better
• Maintain healthy growth and development
• Feel good, inside and out
• Have good coordination and be flexible
• Develop good social skills.

Physical activity and diabetes
Physical activity may assist with managing blood glucose levels (BGLs) in children with diabetes. Physical activity usually lowers BGLs by making the body more sensitive to insulin. Sometimes BGLs may be higher prior to and following physical activity because of other hormones released during the activity. Rises in BGLs during activity are usually temporary and may be followed by lower BGLs and the risk of delayed hypoglycaemia, 12-16 hours following the activity.
 
 

Managing Physical Activity

There are some important things you need to consider when a child with type 1 diabetes participates in physical activity.

These include:

Blood Glucose Testing
Blood glucose testing provides you with useful information about your child's response to exercise and will help you to determine how to manage your child's diabetes during physical activity. It's important to test before, during and after the activity.

Insulin
Adjustments may be required to your child's insulin dose prior to and following exercise. This adjustment will depend on factors such as type of activity, duration and your child's individual response to the activity. Discuss insulin adjustments for physical activity with your diabetes team.

It's advisable not to give insulin into an exercising muscle as it is absorbed more quickly and may increase the risk of hypos. The tummy is the best place to give your child's insulin.

Carbohydrate Foods
Extra carbohydrate foods may be required before, during and after physical activity. This is very individual and depends on factors such as type of activity, duration, your child's individual response to the activity and BGL. As a guide, one additional serve or exchange of carbohydrate may be required for every 30-40minutes of exercise. Lower GI foods such as fruit, yoghurt, milk or raisin toast prior to exercise may assist in maintaining BGLs during physical activity.

Hypos
Hypoglycaemia (hypo) or low BGLs may occur as a result of physical activity. It’s important to make sure that your child has a hypo kit readily available when they are exercising (hypos). Teachers and sports coaches need to be aware of the risks of hypos during and following sport and allow your child to treat the hypo immediately and re-treat if necessary.

Exercise may also cause delayed hypoglycaemia for 12-16 hours afterwards. To prevent delayed hypos, it's important to ensure that your child eats additional carbohydrate following the activity and that bedtime BGLs are above 7mmol/L.Testing your child's BGLs overnight is also advised after strenuous physical activity.

Lowering the insulin dose, giving extra carbohydrate foods and carrying out regular blood glucose testing can reduce the risk of hypos.

Physical Activity & High BGLs
Physical activity should be avoided when your child is unwell or their BGL is over 15mmol/L with the presence of ketones. Exercise at this time may increase your child's BGL even further causing them to feel more unwell.
 
 

The Role of Insulin

Insulin is an integral part of the treatment of type 1 diabetes, together with healthy eating and regular physical activity. Type 1 diabetes is a constant balancing act between insulin and physical activity which lower the blood glucose level (BGL) and food and stress hormones which raises the BGL.

Insulin Prescriptions
You must have a prescription from your Endocrinologist or GP in order to obtain insulin for your child. Cost will vary according to whether you have a Health Care Card.
 

 


Reducing the Risk of Long Term Complications
 
Studies have shown that even small improvements in diabetes control can make a difference to the risk of long-term complications.
 
To reduce the risk of complications, it’s important to:
• Follow the management plan advised by your diabetes team, this includes regular BG testing, with appropriate insulin adjustment to match your child’s lifestyle.
• Aim for BGLs mostly within the range recommended for your child’s age.
• Ensure that your child sees the diabetes team at least every three months, this should include a HbA1c test to determine overall blood glucose control.
• Encourage regular physical activity.
• Encourage healthy eating habits.
• Ensure your child or teenager attends regular complications screening as scheduled. The commencement of complications screening depends on your child’s age and for how long they have had diabetes. Your child’s doctor can advise you when complications screening should commence.
• Discourage habits that can lead to the progression of complications. eg. Smoking
 


Identification
 
Children and adolescents should always wear or carry some identification stating that they have "type 1 diabetes". It is best to wear a bracelet or a necklace but if that's not possible, at least carry an identification card.

Want some new ideas for your ID?

If you don’t like chains…

Girls: try a friendship band – you can buy them from surf shops – just thread through the disk saying "I have diabetes". You can match them with what you’re wearing.

Boys: try the friendship bands too – they come in all sorts of colours…or... try a piece of leather thong and thread the ID disc on to it!

Another option is MedicAlert which provides you with identification as well as the addition of your information to a National registry and access to a 24 hour telephone hotline for an annual fee.


To order an ID wristband from our Online Shop, please Click Here
 


Games
 
To play some type 1 diabetes video games, please Click Here
 
 

Other Resources 
 
Other great websites that you can visit for more information...
 
 
www.diabeteskidsandteens.com.au

www.t1kids.org.uk