Diabetes in children

Reviewed by Dr Stephen Greene, consultant paediatrician and Professor Ian Campbell, consultant physician and Dr Soon Song, consultant physician

Physical activity
Physical activity is important for children with diabetes, who should try to exercise every day.

Physical activity lowers the blood sugar level, so if your child takes insulin, she may need to reduce the dose.

This is because a combination of too much insulin and exercise can lower the blood sugar level and lead to hypos. To counter this, your child should always carry sugar.

Physical activity also affects how much your child can eat. Before your child exercises or plays sport, give extra bread, juice or other carbohydrates.

In the long term
A child who develops diabetes will live with the condition longer than someone who develops diabetes in adulthood.

The longer diabetes is present, the higher the risk of long-term complications such as those affecting the eyes and kidneys.

These can start after puberty, but are usually a concern only in later life.

Regular checkups for late-stage complications begin around the age of nine. From then on, this checkup is done every year.

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