Hypoglycemia

[simplygina]

Hey all, just wondering, how many of you have noticed hypoglycemia being a factor for your kids?

 

I've always realized that DS gets really grumpy when he's hungry, but it has just been this year that I've been really trying to maintain his blood sugar. I notice a huge increase in tics when he's hungry and he will often get headaches if he goes too long without eating. He has math just before lunch and he struggles with focus. I think it is partially because his blood sugar has dropped. His math teacher was amazed at how well he is doing on his standardized tests because he struggles with the timed tests she gives them in class. I asked her what time they test. It's right after lunch. Well no wonder he is doing better! His teachers have said they would be willing to let him have a healthy snack in class. I just don't know what to send that he will actually eat.

 

 

I know he does better when we can get him to eat protein with each meal and some fat. He doesn't eat very much at any given time usually and if it is all carbs he will be headed downhill within 1 1/2 hours. The problem is he likes so few protein foods. He mentioned becoming vegetarian not too long ago, which would be fine with me except he won't eat nuts, beans, tofu, eggs or cottage cheese. I told him we could try later but for now he needs to eat meat.

 

He's also never been very good at regulating his physical states. When he was younger I would notice he'd be running in circles or standing weird and ask him if he needed to go to the bathroom and you would see a light go on in his head. It just hadn't registered somehow. He didn't know if he was hot or cold or tired or hungry either. He'd just get crabby. Luckily, it seems to just be hunger that is an issue now. The rest he's pretty good about.

 

If any of you do notice a difference with swings in blood sugar and are making dietary changes to keep the blood sugar level stable, I'd love to hear what works for you.

[matis_mom]

If any of you do notice a difference with swings in blood sugar and are making dietary changes to keep the blood sugar level stable, I'd love to hear what works for you.

My son gets snappy when he is hungry, but so do I

It is very common for blood sugar to affect your moods. A good book to read is "Potatoes, not Prozac", you can probably find it at the library. The author conquered depression by controlling her blood sugar through diet. Easy read and worth the time. It will give you some ideas on what you can do to keep his levels even. Basically, some protein, some fat, and COMPLEX carbs at each meal, and no snacking.

[simplygina]

If any of you do notice a difference with swings in blood sugar and are making dietary changes to keep the blood sugar level stable, I'd love to hear what works for you.

My son gets snappy when he is hungry, but so do I

It is very common for blood sugar to affect your moods. A good book to read is "Potatoes, not Prozac", you can probably find it at the library. The author conquered depression by controlling her blood sugar through diet. Easy read and worth the time. It will give you some ideas on what you can do to keep his levels even. Basically, some protein, some fat, and COMPLEX carbs at each meal, and no snacking.

 

I read her book about kids, "Little Sugar Addicts" which is really what got me thinking about boosting his protein amount. I just can't find much that he likes. It's very frustrating. I'm going to check them both out again and see what I can come up with.

 

We were doing smoothies in the fall. Maybe now that it is warmer we should try getting back to that.

 

I need ideas for him to take in his backpack so when he has activities right after school he has something to snack on.

[colleenrn]

That is interseting b/c we have a family history of rheumatic fever and my children and my sister's children all have PANDAS. I am hypoglycemic, as my mother was, my grandmother and my daughter. Not my boys though that I know of.

 

Colleen

[bronxmom2]

My son is definitely hypoglycemic... he needs a dose of protein every few hours... I find hard boiled eggs very helpful, but they would be stinky to care around all day for afterschool.

[simplygina]

That is interseting b/c we have a family history of rheumatic fever and my children and my sister's children all have PANDAS. I am hypoglycemic, as my mother was, my grandmother and my daughter. Not my boys though that I know of.

 

Colleen

 

I knew my husband and older PANDAS son are because they get so cranky. I didn't realize I was until I had my blood sugar tested a few years back and I was right on the line of pre-diabetic. I changed my diet big time, lost 40 pounds and now I'm not as much. I realized after reading "Little Sugar Addicts" that my younger son is too, but like everything else, he just presents it totally different than my other son. He just keeps coming into the kitchen every 10 minutes and is like a bottomless pit filling up on crap. And he tends to drink his calories. If I'm good about having a hearty after school snack, he doesn't get that way.