advice from diabetics pls

[scojos]

i would like to know if anyone has a user friendly site where i could look at the real effects of giving my kids high sugar snacks at wdw.
they dont normally have these at home, but it is a holiday and i dont want them to feel deprived, esp as we have free ddp
so, any advice would be great, my boys have asd and adhd if thats any help
tracy

 

[Selket]

My son is a type 1 diabetic (insulin dependent) since he was 2 years old. He eats the typical treats at WDW that contain sugar (like an Itskadoozie pop, etc). - just not to excess.

I am not really sure what you are looking for - pictures of the real effects of giving high sugar snacks???? What does that mean exactly?

I'm also not sure what limitations your children have to eating sugar but I would suggest that if they are eating reasonable meals otherwise that having desserts here and there is not a problem.

 

[scojos]

we went to a chocolate factory over half term and after going "hyper" they all feel asleep, when their sugar levels dropped.(they had 1 small bar each)
what i was looking for was information on how to allow them to eat treats, as you say, in moderation, without them having that sugar "drop".
is there anywhere i can get info about glucose levels etc which is user friendly ie done for idiots likeme ?
i apreciate desserts should follow meals, slow release with rapid release sugars, but what can i do if they have say, an ice cream in the afternoon? should they eat carbs with it?
i hope this makes sense!
Tracy

 

[SueM in MN]

Are you working with a dietician?
That might be the best person to ask. I'm not sure if you will actually find a website because individual people are so variable. You almost have to test it out and see what happens in your situation.

 

[Selket]

Well....ice cream does have carbs in it - most food does not just things with sugar - and ice cream is generally a slower acting carb for most people because it has so much fat and protein in it. So ice cream would seem to be the kind of thing that would work well in your situation. A cookie is also a slower acting carb at least for my son. Sometimes a glass of milk helps to balance out a pastry type dessert.

Something that is more straight sugar - like an ice pop (Itskadoozie they sell at WDW) or cotton candy or soda that isn't diet would cause the type of "sugar high" you are speaking of - a very quick rise in blood sugar.

I think you would just end up over feeding them though if you have them eat something like cheese and crackers before they eat ice cream with all of that being after lunch, etc.

Sue's suggestion is great as always. As for info on the internet I would suggest you take a look at something called the "glycemic index" of foods. Those foods with a higher glycemic index might be the ones that cause your children more problems. Sue is right that it really depends on the kid. I know some children with type 1 diabetes spike (blood sugar goes up high fast) more with chocolate milk than with a baked potato for example. You will find that pasta might have a higher GI than ice cream or something with a lot of sugar in it. So....it may or may not be helpful for you.

websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index
http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_food_diet/glycemic_index.php
http://www.glycemicindex.com/
http://www.mendosa.com/gi.htm

 

[mechurchlady]

You need the glycemic index. Not all carbs are alike. Simple carbs like in cotton candy, juices, soda pop, and candy are in and out fast. They give you a high then a crash and burn. Complex carbs like grains and fibres take longer and release the sugars slower thus causing no spike and nap attacks.

The best thing to do in the parkis is to stay hydrated, have set meals and in the middle of meals SHARE snacks. Do not buy for each person a box of popcorn but instead share with each person. Bring along sandwich bags large and small or paper bowls and give each person a share. Each gets popcorn and some carbs but not a lot of food to weigh them down. Split in half ice cream bars.

I love gluten free YEAH skittles. Bring a raisins, skittles, trail mix and other snacks. One mouthful or one handful. A small bag of skittles should last two kids the whole day not set and chomp and gulp. Avoid caramel corn and go for popcorn. If they are low on energy then give them juices.

I cannot understand how people can set with a whole popcorn and a large soda pop and not expect to crash. The parks push candy and other simple sugars.

 

[Selket]

I love gluten free YEAH skittles. Bring a raisins, skittles, trail mix and other snacks. One mouthful or one handful. A small bag of skittles should last two kids the whole day not set and chomp and gulp. Avoid caramel corn and go for popcorn. If they are low on energy then give them juices.

A Snickers bar (41) is lower GI than raisins (64). Skittles has a high GI (70) - similar to popcorn(72) which is also high GI. Corn flakes (like Kellogg's corn flakes) is higher GI than most foods (like skittles) but Frosted Flakes (you know the corn flakes coated with sugar?) are much lower GI - 83 vs 55!!!

I know when looking at the glycemic index after William was first dx'd with diabetes 4 years ago and seeing that Frosted Flakes and Snickers bars were much lower GI than pastas and fresh fruit I thought the GI was interesting and perhaps helpful but you have to be careful with it. Also some foods that are similar can have very different GI values depending on the brand. But it is something probably worth looking at.

I will say again that from my experience talking to parents of type 1 kids that the exact same food can affect blood sugar quite differently in two different individuals. Even as William gets older a food affects him differently sometimes than others - maybe hormones? I hae no idea.

The OP said her kids had problems after eating chocolate - which can sometimes be lower GI than many other common foods they likely eat (potatoes, etc). Maybe the kids were just excited to be going to a chocolate factory...

 

[scojos]

urm...well..we were all excited at going to the cadburys factory
thanks for all the responses, i take it a low GI is better than a high GI?
dd 5 has been to a local theme park with her best friend today (i didnt get invited ) and the same problem has happened...
mom of friend has allowed them to eat choc and sugar snack (popcorn and candy floss and then eat mcds and ice cream) dd was asleep as soon as they left the park.
yes, she is 5 and its a big day, but honestly, it must have something to do with sugar levels? She ice dances x2 a week, is very active (alot more so than the av. 5 yr old, and can out walk me(which isnt hard lol) but never eats these high sugar snacks at home...
i am going to see my GP and see if i can get them tested, we both have diabetes in the family, although neither of us are affected.
thank you for your advice, any other info is greatfully received.
tracy

 

[SueM in MN]

urm...well..we were all excited at going to the cadburys factory
thanks for all the responses, i take it a low GI is better than a high GI?

You've got it!
Here's a good website about Glycemic Index, including some food values. Sort of in a nutshell, foods with a low Glycemic Index generally produce only small fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels. (although, as Selket explained, conditions can vary the effects).

 

[Selket]

I guess the test is to give her the same meal at home when she has no unusual activities and see if it still makes her sleepy - LOL! I'm sure she'd love that.

I'd enjoy the Cadbury factory too - I love that chocolate.

As I think about my post to you it was me who originally suggested looking at the Glycemic Index - and I guess you can tell I am ambivalent about it from my own experience. Something like popcorn - which has a moderately high GI seems to affect William's blood sugar less than Frosted Flakes - which is much lower GI. I think the fiber in the popcorn makes a difference for him. Now maybe that isn't the case for others. I know a lot of parents with type 1 kids have a great deal of trouble with pasta making their kids blood sugar shoot up quickly. William doesn't have that. The more fat, protein and fiber the item has the less it makes his blood sugar spike - compared to just eating straight sugary items. Hope that makes sense. So ice cream has a much slower effect than an ice pop.

However the ice cream can have just as much or more carbs than something else. Maybe your child gets tired from the delayed effect of some slower acting items like ice cream and chocolate.

If your child had diabetes it would be type 1 (because she is just 5) - and tiredness can be a symptom but it is usually tiredness ALL the time - not just after eating certain things. Also there is a dramatic increase in the amount of drinking - they are just thirsty beyond belief (5 cups of water at a time type thirsty) and going to the bathroom to pee as well. Here is a list of symptoms: http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/clinic/signs.htm
From what you've said I don't think whatever is affecting her is type 1 diabetes. But it could be fluctuations in blood sugar if she isn't used to the sweet stuff.

At WDW my kids would be exhausted in the afternoon/evening no matter what they are eating - especially if the weather is hot. Maybe plan to have your sweet treat in the afternoon and go back to the hotel for a nap so everyone is rested and ready to go out again in the evening for parades, fireworks, etc.

Have fun!

 

[SueM in MN]

my boys have asd and adhd if thats any help
tracy

Are they on any medications?
Some drugs used for ADHD can cause sleepiness if the person eats too close to their dose of medication (either before or after). I know Ritalin (for example) can affect the blood sugar. That's usually not much of a problem, but it's possible that a heavy 'dose' of sugar might cause sleepiness in someone who is sensitive to it.

If they are on medication, I'd suggest talking to the Pharmacist where you get the medications. Pharmacists are well educated about drugs and have resources where they can easily look up information.

 

[mechurchlady]

A problem with pets and kids is portion sizes. We forget that they are smaller and that the suggested serving size is for an adult human.

Divide the weight of your pet into 300 to get a number.
Divide the weight of your child into 150 to get a number.

Take the number you got and multiply it times the portion you plan to give your pet or child.

1 ounce of chocolate is equal to a 10 pound cat eating 30 ounces of chocolate, a 30 pound dog eating 10 ounces or a 50 pound child eating 3 ounces.

As you see in the above example that little 1 ounce chocolate bar is like you as an adult eating 3 ounces of chocolate. That whopper for a kid is like you eating 2 or 3 whoppers and that can of soda pop is like you drinking 2 or 3 cans.

I suggested raisins or skittles only because they do well in the heat of Florida and the portions can be very tiny like 5 raisins or skittles. The glycemic index is an educational tool but not everyone is alike. Like with my celiac there are times that i absorb simple sugars easier that fibre. I remember reading that to get these figures they tested only a few people and not like thousands of people. I am sure Sue can explain better. It is possible that they got a batch of people who reacted to the food abnormally or maybe their genetic make up was different like age, gender and etnicity, who knows.

 

[scojos]

guys your are great
i have not been able to dis much, dh broke his wrist in a charity soccer match sat am, and my life has fallen to pieces.
he is full time carer to ds, and can no longer dress himself or do simple tasks, so you can imagine the disaster at home...
i love this place you are all so knowledgable.
tracy

 

[Narnia]

There are alot of snacks that don't have that much sugar like popcorn and trail mix. My son has adhd and can't have anything with chocolate or cocoa in it. Try to bring a few types of snacks they can have and let them get treats like smooties and pretzels. No one said a treat had to be sweet