Every child with diabetes should have a different meal plan, based on personal condition, physical activity, normal rate of eating, weight and overall health. There are three main types of weekly meal planning approaches usually used by children with diabetes--the exchange meal plan, the constant carbohydrate meal plan and the carbohydrate counting meal plan.
Exchange Meal Plan
This type of meal planning usually divides foods into food groups, such as starches, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy and fat. Together with your doctor, you will decide how many servings from each food group your child should be having at various times during the day. This will allow your child to choose from a variety of foods for meals and snacks, as long as they fit into the correct food groups. This meal plan is usually helpful for children who have been recently diagnosed with diabetes.
Constant Carbohydrate Meal Plan
On a constant carbohydrate meal plan, you and your doctor will set carbohydrate amounts for your child to eat during each meal or snack. Your child will then calculate how many carbohydrates are in the foods that she wants to eat and plan each meal or snack accordingly. If your child's physical activity remains relatively constant during the day, this meal plan might be for her. It is simple to follow and remains constant from day-to-day.
Carbohydrate Counting Meal Plan
The carbohydrate counting meal plan combines food intake and insulin injections, so it will work only if your child takes insulin injections along with each meal. On this meal plan, your child will calculate the number of carbohydrates he consumes at each meal and measure the insulin dosage accordingly. This meal plan is the most flexible of the three and gives your child more control.
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