Young diabetic athletes and diabetic children usually have type-1 diabetes and require multiple insulin injections daily. They need a more intensive approach to exercise- related matters when compared with diabetics in the general population. Knowledge and practice of the recent guidelines will help diabetic athletes- professional and amateur- compete on equal terms with other athletes.
The guidelines emphasise having a comprehensive written plan –a Diabetes Care Plan, and letting teachers, trainers, fellow athletes, etc, have copies of it. The plan should include the following information relevant to the individual athlete/child:
· How often do you need to monitor blood glucose?
· What are the pre-exercise values of blood sugar below and above which exercise is unsafe? Teachers and coaches need this information to decide whether it is safe to allow play.
· What insulin do you use, and how much?
· How do you adjust the dose for planned as well as unplanned activity?
· How do you correct high blood glucose levels before and after exercise?
· How do you recognize, prevent and treat low blood glucose levels (hypoglycaemia) during exercise?
· How do you administer an injection of glucagons to treat hypoglycaemia?
· How do you recognize, prevent and treat high blood glucose levels (hyperglycaemia)?
· How do you recognize the symptoms and signs of diabetic ketosis?
· What other medication is the athlete/child using?
· Who should one contact in an emergency?
Since it is unlikely that everyone will have sufficient knowledge of a diabetic athlete’s medical condition, a prominent medical alert bracelet will help caregivers focus sooner on diabetes-related issues during an emergency. This is important because a few minutes’ delay in the diagnosis and treatment of hypoglycaemia can cause permanent brain damage.
Exercise in diabetes, even with all the trouble, is just as important for health in diabetics as it is in the general population. Many parents find it easier to forbid their children from playing sports rather than go through all this hassle. But consider this: children will play no matter how much parents and teachers forbid it, so the only question is whether they do it safety or not.
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