Question:
From Fredonia, New York, USA:
My 9 year old son has had Type 1 since the age of 3. We recently moved
to a small town and his pediatrician wants to cut back his caloric intake
because he thinks he is receiving too much insulin for his age. He is
currently on a 2200 calorie diet, the doctor wants him on 1900/day. He
takes 6 Regular and 7 NPH at breakfast, 6 Regular at dinner and 8 NPH at bedtime.
Are there any set rules for the amount of insulin and calorie intake with
reference to age?
Answer:
The calorie level is only relevant to growth really. The calories
needed to provide normal growth and development in a child's
established growth channel can be different for children who are the
same age and sex. I cannot say what the recommendation for your child
is as I do not know his height and exact age and weight. Many things
influence the need for more insulin: stress and growth being the two that
come to mind immediately. If your child is gaining weight too fast, he
might be eating to feed the insulin. That is, insulin can drive hunger
and the more you eat, the more insulin one needs. I do not know the
thinking behind your doctor's decision but I think you should ask him to
explain to you his thinking, especially if your child does not seem to
be deviating from his normal growth curve.
JM
Original posting 11 Feb 98
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