Child Pumper Crisis: Sneaking Food
I have a five year old daughter, Dx’d 12/99, that went
on the pump mid-July. Since she is the first child her
age in her Endo group, they didn’t have any history to
start her out on ratio’s and such. Because of this,
they have been very conservative and slow about making
changes. As of today, we are still experimenting with
her ratio’s. When we approached my daughter about the
pump (she wanted one when I received mine, but we
wanted to make sure of her decision), we told her she
could have alot of treats she couldn’t have now, at
times, in-between meals she couldn’t do before. As
soon as she started the pump she, of course, wanted to
start eating donuts, and treats immediately.
Unfortunately, they took away her snacks to try to set
the Basil ratio, and this gave her alot of anxiety. My
daughter has gotten her snacks back, and we have even
given her some treats, telling her more will be
forthcoming, if she waits patiently for the other
ratios. We recently found out she has been sneaking
food. It explains some of the wacky numbers she got,
when we followed the instructions set by her CDE. As
of yesterday, four separate incidents have come up
where she was sneaking food, thus sky rocketing her
BG. She even has confided in us that she had even
taken food when on injections. My wife and I are
besides are self with grief. My wife is home with her,
and has been on this a month, neglecting our other
kids (the youngest is 8-weeks), and getting up
overnight to check BG’s, while our daughter is
sabatoging her efforts. We are also surprised by the
lying, and deceitfulness of the act. After each time,
we have explained that she is very lucky to have been
given the chance to be on the pump. That when I
received DM 23 years ago, it was very strict, and you
couldn’t eat anything. That sugar-free foods were few
and tasted discusting back then. That if she has
alittle patience, she will have those treats she
wants. My daughter is still sneaking food. My wife
wants to take her off the pump. Her CDE is on
vacation, so we can’t consult with her. We didn’t tell
her of the other incidents at start-up of the pump of
fear she would pull the plug on it. Does anyone have a
child that sneaks food, or remember if they did when
they were small. I was Dx’d @ 15, and don’t remember
if I did or didn’t. I do remember having my mom &
doctor say if I didn’t straighten out, I would be put
into the hospital and given BIG needles. It was enough
to scare me, and also make me obsessed with
compliance. Help!
Kevin
January 22nd, 2005 at 11:34 am
<< Does anyone have a
child that sneaks food, or remember if they did when
they were small. I was Dx’d @ 15, and don’t remember >>
I was diagnosed at 12, keep in mind Im 45 now so things are much improved
since then. But…..it took me awhile to become serious about my diabetes.
Also tho I was never hospitalized or given any kind of direction on how to
deal w/my diabetes. I guess they assumed that my father who was also an
Insulin Dependant Diabetic would show me. He showed me some things but it
didnt help that he was an alcoholic. Sorry this is turning into a book
but…..I really didn’t get serious about my diabetes for awhile. I used to
eat things I shouldnt and one time ended up in the hospital in keto acidosis
(was in a coma for one night). After I got older and matured and realized I
didnt like feeling sick all the time and being in the hospital I changed.
But for me anyway it took awhile. Someone as young as your daughter cant
fully grasp the repercusions of her actions. To me a five year old wants
what she wants. Unfortunatly if she is on the pump and "sneaking" this could
cause alot of problems. Since she has no long acting insulin to cover when
she does this her sugars are going to soar. Especially if you dont find out
about it till her BG is checked. Maybe she is not ready for the pump until
she is older. Its a tuff decision that you will have to make. At least when
shes on insulin shots she has some long acting insulin to get her thru those
sneaking times. I would explain to her that if she continues to cheat she
will have to go back to shots everday. I don’t know if this will help or
not. Whatever you do you will always have the pump there if she decides to
listen. I hope everything works out for you guys. Dont give up I know it can
be frustrating. God bless you. Chrissy
January 23rd, 2005 at 3:13 am
Kevin,
From my experience. diabetics are the ultimate liars. It is part of human
nature, and diabetics just seem to be better at it than the general population.
So, I wouldn’t worry too much about it; just live with it and deal with it as
best as you can. Patience and repeated careful attention should eventually get
results, but occasional failure is probably a fact of life for some time to
come.
I have been working this problem for 45 years, and I will be the first to
confess in lying to MD’s and others (another form of denial, I suspect).
I think there have even been papers written in professional journals about
diabetics and their consummate lying. And, at the age of five, perception and
reality are probably in two different planes…..
Keep up the good work, and good luck!
David
January 23rd, 2005 at 11:32 am
alisha did eat food that i didn’t know about mostly at night, but then she
was never on a real strict diet any ways and after she got her pump she could
eat anything she wanted to all she had to do was get insulin for it, i don’t
understand the big deal just let her know to read the carbs and get insulin
for what she eats, alisha too was the youngest our endo put on the pump
if she has been on the pump a month she should know how to figure the carbs
etc and bolus for the food she eats, if she can’t do this by herself then she
does need to let you know when she eats it so you can do the bolus, the whole
one of them for pumping is to be able to eat when and what you want as well
as getting the best diab tx available.
i wouldn’t take her off the pump unless she continues to run high bs and not
bolusing for food that she is eating or let you know that she ate something
so you can do a bolus, explain to her that this is how the pump works and
that when she eats something she has to get insulin for it as she no longer
has the long acting insulin in the shots in her to cover it, and she could
get very ill if she continues this way.
i guess i am not much help to you, alisha is pretty self sufficient when it
comes to eating when i am not home and at school and figures her own carbs
and very very few times has she not bolused for a food eaten.
kathy
mom to alisha 11 dx 2-2-98 pumping 1-6-00
January 24th, 2005 at 4:12 am
<< alisha is pretty self sufficient when it
comes to eating when i am not home and at school and figures her own carbs
and very very few times has she not bolused for a food eaten.
>>
I think it makes a big difference btwn a 5yr old and an 11yr old. If I’m
reading right Alisha is 11. I know when I first learned to count carbs and
I’m 45 I had trouble. This is just an observation. But I hope you can
figure out how to deal w/this. Good luck. Chrissy
January 24th, 2005 at 3:39 pm
Hi Kevin: You have to understand that what your daughter is doing is
absolutely normal, and we’ve all done it at one time or another. Even though
as adults, we realize all the benefits, it’s going to take time, much
patience,
and stop the lecturing.
Better for the entire family to start doing some behavior modification.
Starting with yourselves.
You all have to be realistic about expectations. SHE IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD!
Your daughter feels that she has been given promises, which really should not
have been given so early in starting pump therapy. In a way, you and your
wife wanted her to accept it so badly, that you inadvertently sabatoutaged
yourselves.
So, it’s done, and it can’t be undone.
Children are literal in their understanding of promises. So compromise.
Sugar free stuff will help with compliance. There should be another CDE to
cover for her CDE if not, speak to the endo. She has dealt with these issues
more than once.
Frequent little meals so that she doesn’t feel as though she’s being left out
- low in calorie, low in carb, higher in protein - cheese bits, peanut butter
on celery sticks, let her help in the snack and meal prep. We all know the
old saying of attracting bees to sugar than vinegar. Diabetisweet - can find
it at Walmart and Walgreens - so far…I’m sure other folks on the list can
help. Tastes better than Nutrasweet or Sween N Low. Same applies to
the little girl….
I’m sure you’ve read some of the ADA cookbooks. Get on the Net and explore.
and go to the JDA site and learn….that will help both you, your wife, your
daughter, and the rest of the kids to all get back to a semblance of normal.
Five year olds understand differently than adults. Time for the adult to
Nurse,
become the child again and look with different eyes. Joan
Diabetes Educator, Diabetic, and still a child at heart at age 52!!