Sick day management

General principles
If the blood glucose levels are high
If the blood glucose levels are low
Call for advice if

Children and adolescents are prone to the same array of day-to day illnesses as other children. Whilst diabetic children are not more prone to infections and other illnesses, much greater care is needed to ensure they make an uneventful recovery. Any illness may cause blood glucose levels to become high or low. Whilst most minor illnesses can be managed at home, blood glucose levels must be checked frequently and contact may need to be maintained with your child’s diabetes care team.

General principles include:

Treat the underlying illness (see your doctor if concerned)
Measure blood glucose levels frequently
Drink more fluids

If the blood glucose levels are high:

Ensure that all fluids consumed are sugar-free
Test for ketones regularly
Give extra insulin (You should be instructed how to do this by your diabetes care team)

If the blood glucose levels are low (usually in the setting of a vomiting illness):

Give sugar-containing fluids
Reduce insulin dose in consultaion with your diabetes care team. DO NOT OMIT INSULIN ALTOGETHER.

Call for advice if:

You are unsure what to do
Your child becomes increasingly unwell
You are unable to control blood glucose levels between 4 and 15 mmol/l or to clear ketones
Your child is becoming increasingly unwell
You are exhausted
Your child is very young

Last Updated 17-Dec-2002. Authorised by: Prof. George Werther. Enquiries: Fergus Cameron.