Type 1 diabetes

Before people with diabetes begin any exercise program, they should obtain medical approval. Type 1 diabetics must take special precautions before, during and after participation in intense physical activity or exercise.

SELF-TESTING

Blood glucose monitoring is done by checking the glucose content of a small drop of blood. The testing is done on a regular basis and will inform the person with diabetes how well diet, medication, and exercise are working together to control diabetes.

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The results can be used to adjust meals, activity, or medications to keep blood-sugar levels within an appropriate range. It will provide valuable information for the health care provider to suggest changes to improve care and treatment. Testing will identify high and low blood-sugar levels before serious problems develop.

FOOT CARE

People with diabetes are prone to foot problems because of complications related to the illness. Diabetes causes damage to the blood vessels and nerves, which can result in a decreased ability to sense trauma or pressure on the foot. A foot injury could go unnoticed until severe infection develops.

Additionally, diabetes alters the bodies immune system, decreasing the body's ability to fight infection. Small infections can rapidly progress to death of the skin and other tissues, necessitating amputation of the affected limb.

To prevent injury to the feet, diabetics should adopt a daily foot care routine.

TREATING LOW BLOOD SUGAR

Low blood sugar, known as hypoglycemia, can occur in diabetics when they use too much insulin, exercise too much, or have not eaten enough food. Hypoglycemia can develop quickly in people with diabetes. Symptoms of low blood sugar typically appear when the sugar level falls below 70. Watch for weakness, shaking, sweating, headache, nervousness, and hunger.

If these symptoms occur and you have a blood sugar test kit available, do a blood sugar check. If the level is low, the person with diabetes should eat something with sugar: fruit juice, several teaspoons of sugar, a cup of skim milk, or regular soda. If you don't have a test kit handy, sugar should be eaten anyway - it can't hurt. Symptoms should subside within 15 minutes. If the symptoms don't subside, more sugar should be eaten and the sugar level tested again.

AFTER the symptoms subside, more substantial food can be eaten. Eat simple sugar FIRST to get the situation under control. Even if you or your child is hungry, "real" food should not be eaten until the sugar level comes up - real food won't produce enough sugar and takes too long to digest.