Gd. Braatvedt et al., INSULIN REQUIREMENTS AND METABOLIC CONTROL IN CHILDREN WITH DIABETES-MELLITUS ATTENDING A SUMMER CAMP, Diabetic medicine, 14(3), 1997, pp. 258-261
The metabolic control of 33 children aged 7-12 (mean 9.8 years), 19M:1
4F, with diabetes attending a 7-day physically active summer camp was
evaluated. Insulin dose was reduced by 20 % an arrival at camp, and ad
justed daily to maintain preprandial capillary glucose between 4 and 1
1 mmol l(-1) and overnight glucose above 7 mmol l(-1). Despite a mean
reduction in insulin dose of 33 %, hypoglycaemia was common especially
in the first few days of camp. This suggests that can day 1 of a phys
ically active camp an empiric reduction of 30 % in insulin dose would
be more appropriate. However, it is also essential to increase daily c
arbohydrate intake and New Zealand's national guidelines for the manag
ement of diabetes mellitus in summer camps are being rewritten to incl
ude this advice. In addition, extra carbohydrate portions must be give
n simultaneously with insulin dose reduction, especially in physically
active camps.