It's important for kids to always feel included-this is particularly critical at special holidays such as Halloween. For a child with diabetes, sweets are thought to be particularly risky because the simple sugar found in candy can cause a rapid spike in blood glucose levels. However in an interview with Reuters Health, Dr. Lori Laffel, head of the pediatric unit at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston said that candy is not life threatening. She further explained that an overall treatment program that includes good nutrition, exercise, and insulin injections could help kids maintain stable blood glucose levels.
Parents should consult with their child's physician or dietitian to learn how to incorporate moderate amounts of candy in their meal plan. They should also help their kids count carbs and assist them in figuring out how many grams of carbs are in a candy bar or other Halloween snack to insure that their carbs do not exceed the daily allotment needed to manage their disease.
Offering kids sugarless gum, sugarless candy, apples, individual bags of baby carrots, little boxes of raisins, individual bags of snack mix or pretzels or handing out other treats such as stickers, crayons, or hand-held Halloween puzzles can help them enjoy the holiday in good health.
The best part of Halloween is the costume. Put extra effort in helping your child pretend to be whatever he/she wants. Involve the entire family, enlisting older siblings help in making paper mache masks, crowns, etc.
Since Halloween this year is again on a school night, why not arrange for your child and a friend or two to visit a haunted house suitable to their age level, to go on a hayride, or attend a community Halloween event instead of going trick-or-treating? Plan to stop for a special "treat" such as ice cream or frozen yogurt on the way home.
FTG
