As a kid who has diabetes, you already know how important it is to take good care of yourself. It may be harder to do when you're sick, but that's when you need to pay special attention to food, insulin, testing your blood sugar and checking your urine for ketones. Unfortunately, having diabetes doesn’t mean you can’t get all the other common illnesses that your friends get. Whether it's a sore throat, the flu or just a cold, being sick puts your body under extra stress. To help you fight an illness, your body releases hormones that cause your liver to release sugar, and that makes it difficult for your insulin to work. When you’re sick, your blood sugar can rise, sometimes to really high levels—even if you’re not eating the way you normally do. It’s important to talk with your parents and your healthcare team to help you manage your diabetes when you’re sick.
Testing on Sick Days
Check your blood sugar levels more often, as recommended by your healthcare team. Check your urine for ketones using Ketostix™. Continue testing your blood and urine as long as:
- Your blood sugar is greater than 14 mmol/L.
- Your ketone numbers are moderate to large.
- You cannot follow your regular meal plan.
- You are not feeling well.
Source: Canadian Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.ca)
