Diabetes in Children during the Holidays

Diabetes in children during the holidays can be a difficult one. Children as we all know love the all the sweet treats of the holiday season. Adults can refrain from eating all the unnecessary sweet treats during this time of year. However, children do not have the will power like adults do. Therefore, there need to be accommodations made for these children who have diabetes so their diabetes diet is not affected and they can still enjoy the traditions of the festivities. Halloween and Christmas are two such holidays that a diabetes diet can be thrown off track.

Halloween

Diabetes in children should not affect the good times of Halloween, the dressing up, the trick-or- treating and parties at school. Parents need to keep all of this into perspective and figure out ways in their child can still have a great Halloween. Parents can help their child concentrate on the nonfood related aspects of this fun filled holiday. Costume designing and making is a great way to distract your child from all the unwanted sugar.

Another way to ensure your child still gets some of his or her Halloween treats is to sort through the candy bag and ration out the candy your child will eat so they do not get to much sugar in their system. When it comes to candy one is just as bad as the other, so a candy bar verses a hard piece of candy is still sugar. A small candy bar, however, is better than a bag of chips that contains more problems than the one piece of candy.

Christmas

Diabetes in children also should not affect Christmas for your child. Along with all the grand sweet treats for this holiday, include healthy exercise such as ice skating, sledding and walking around looking at all the Christmas lights that light up the neighborhood. After this activities have healthy snacks to give to your child. With the homemade treats of the season ration them out throughout the entire holiday instead of letting them fill up all at one and ruin the diet they are supposed to be on.

Diabetes in children should not affect what they receive for Christmas from Santa Claus. Have the stockings filled with some of their other favorite items that do not include food. Movie tickets, crayons, CD's and books are just a few items that can be stuffed into your child's stocking that will not affect the holiday or your child's spirit.

Diabetes is hard for anyone who is diagnosed with it. However, diabetes in children is even worse, especially during the holidays. They have a more difficult time dealing with the issues and restrictions than adults do. So, it is a wise decision to make sure they have a life that is as normal as possible during the festive season.