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Diabetes (diet)

You must be feeling anxious about your son. It’s always frustrating when children won’t eat – especially when your child has a condition like diabetes, where a regular food intake is important.

Don’t worry – there are things you can do to help get your son’s eating patterns back on track.

Eating problems

It’s not uncommon for a child’s food routine to be disrupted following an illness. In your son’s case, it sounds as though his recent cough and cold have affected his appetite and thrown his eating patterns out of synch.

When this happens, it can be challenging to get things back to normal, and back to the healthy, well balanced diet that your son needs for good diabetes management.

About diabetes

Diabetes is where the amount of glucose, which comes from digesting sugar and starchy foods like pasta and potatoes, is too high in the bloodstream because the body can’t use it properly.

Type 1 is usually diagnosed in children and young people. This type of diabetes means your body produces no insulin so you depend on insulin injections and diet to control the body’s blood glucose level.

The main aim of treatment is to achieve near normal blood glucose levels.

Glucose levels

Bringing glucose levels down is not difficult, but once treatment has started it needs to be kept in balance. And maintaining blood glucose levels within an ideal narrow band can be tricky. 

Your son’s glucose levels will vary enormously depending on what he’s eaten and how active he’s been. A young child’s glucose level can swing too high or too low very quickly.

Regular meals

The following tips might help get your son back into the habit of regular meals, which will help steady his blood glucose levels:

• Set a routine. He should have breakfast, lunch and tea, with snacks mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Don't allow ‘picking’ at food through the day. Make sure he eats in same place where he feels comfortable and safe as often as possible.
• Present simple, healthy food. Don't ask him what he wants – a two-year-old won't know. Give small portions on his plate, praising him when it’s finished, then offer more. Don't offer a completely different meal if the first choice is refused. Give tried and tested foods alongside anything that is new so the meal looks familiar.
• Think back to the foods your son particularly liked before he was ill, and re-introduce these in small portions so he gets used to eating a variety of foods again. Once he accepts these favourite foods, you can build on them. For instance if he liked bread, and is prepared to eat it again, you can then try different breads such as rolls and crumpets.
• It’s important for your son to eat starchy foods such as cereals, bread and pasta which release glucose slowly into the bloodstream. Offer a portion at each meal.
• Eat with your son. This makes mealtimes more enjoyable and sociable. Encourage him to eat by asking for a spoonful of his food, then offering some of yours. Most two-year-olds would prefer to eat what you’re having anyway. Boost his confidence by trying foods first, and showing your enjoyment by saying ‘yummy’ and giving lots of smiles.
• Don’t put pressure on him to eat and never force feed. Let his appetite take its natural course.
• Many two-year-olds are slow eaters. Give your son the time he needs, but don't prolong meals beyond 30 minutes – you'll both get bored!
• Try not to show you’re worried or annoyed if a meal hasn’t been eaten. Your son will pick up on your anxiety.

Ask for help

At the same time as trying these tactics, it would be a really good idea to ask for expert help.

Your son should be under the care of a specialist diabetes team, which should include a paediatric dietitian. Give the team a call and ask for further advice.

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