Practical solutions for children with prediabetes

Any parent, who has been told their child has prediabetes, is naturally worried and concerned about this diagnosis.  Questions of what does this mean, what to do to reverse it, and will they eventually develop type 2 diabetes are all valid inquiries of hearing this news.  Many parents may even blame themselves feeling like they failed at keeping their child healthy.  But they shouldn’t.  A prediabetes diagnosis is an early warning sign that their child needs support in making lifestyle changes to avoid developing type 2 diabetes. It does not mean they will automatically develop type 2 diabetes but rather there are many things you both can do to prevent that from happening.

Warning Signs of Prediabetes in Children

Prediabetes, also known as impaired glucose tolerance, is a condition wherein the blood sugar levels of a person are higher than normal, but not as high as in the case of diabetes. Though adults are more likely to suffer from prediabetes, children can also be diagnosed with it.  Here are some early warning signs possibly indicating prediabetes in your child:

·      Weight gain

A common symptom of prediabetes in children is weight gain. In fact, if your child is already obese or overweight, and you have a family history of the disease, there is an increased risk for your child to develop prediabetes.  Children with prediabetes often have an increased appetite and crave foods rich in carbohydrates and sugar.

·      Increased thirst and urination

Excessive thirst and urination are signs of prediabetes that are linked to each other.  The body is making efforts to balance the excessive sugar levels in the body by increasing urination to flush it out but this also leads to increased thirst. 

·      Wounds and infections heal more slowly

Having higher than normal levels of glucose in the blood makes the healing process slower than usual.

·      They get tired easily

Children are supposed to be active with moderate to high energy levels. If your child is more lethargic than usual or is suffering from weakness or fatigue, this could be due to prediabetes.

·      Blurred vision

Excessive blood glucose levels can affect the nerves and blood vessels, including those that can affect eye vision.  Not all children with blurred vision automatically have prediabetes, but it could be a sign of it.

·      Darkening of the skin

Any notice of darkening of your child’s skin, especially if in their armpits, neck, knees, or knuckles, can be a sign of acanthosis nigricans and is considered to be one of the signs of prediabetes. 

How parents can help their child with prediabetes

The most important thing a parent can do is to model good health habits along with encouraging their child and the whole family to be active and eat well.  Here are several steps that can help make this happen:

·      Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.  Children need to eat three meals a day at consistent times as much as possible.

·      Make establishing better eating and activity habits a family affair. Do not single out the child with prediabetes.  The entire family can live healthfully.  This scenario supports the child and helps prevent them from feeling isolated or stigmatized.  Besides, everyone in every family should be eating and living a healthy lifestyle.

·      Avoid saying “You can’t have cookies.” Instead try rephrasing the language to a more positive tone such as “You can pick out a couple of types of fruit for your lunch this week and leave the cookies for a special occasion.”

·      Be supportive but not controlling.  Ask your child what changes they want to make.  This gives them a sense of control along with providing a supportive environment without judgement.  Provide healthful food and beverages without excessive temptation of unhealthful food choices. 

·      Serve more high-fiber foods such as whole grains, brown rice, lentils, beans, fruits and vegetables. 

·      Avoid fried foods and instead serve more baked, broiled or grilled foods

·      Make water their main beverage – cut way back on sugary drinks such as soda, sport drinks, and fruit juice.

·      Serve healthy snacks such as whole or cup-up fruit and raw vegetables with hummus or yogurt dip.

·      Limit their screen time (this includes TV, video games, cell phones, laptops, computers, etc.) to no more than two hours a day.

·      Turn off and allow no electronic devices during meals. This helps your child to focus more on their food learning when they feel full.  It also encourages learning to make conversation with family members.

·      Make physical activity part of your family’s routine.  Children need at least one hour of physical activity a day – walk or ride bikes together, play catch, Frisbee or tag, go swimming together, have an outdoor scavenger hunt, put on music and dance, or take the family dog for a jog.