Protocols & Picky Eating & Hypo-g identification

February 4, 2006

Dear Folks,

In an effort to comply with recent requests given with loving

sincerity and kindness by our moderator and division consultants, I

will ask questions with my usual cheeky manner; Here is the summary

of our present RSS needs in the Kearns' household which would love

anyone to comment upon if having been in the same boat before.

1. This message is about RSS, only RSS and nothing else...but RSS

(Go Seahawks).

2. I am in the same boat as Ken with the only difference being that

Connor is 3 and his son is 8 (and he is not a Seahawks fan). We

have had a nose dive in food variety which is impacting Connor's

diet, and ultimately, I fear his blood sugar.

Procede to point number 3. No chatter to complicate the matter (Go

Seahawks go!!!).

3. Connor's teacher at school has noticed that while playing, Connor

will all of a sudden just stop and lay down. This has happened on

the playground and inside. I've asker her if this is before snack

time and she said " Yes. " She thought is was Connor wanting to take

a nap. I told her, Connor hasn't napped since he was 15 months old.

4. So, what does hypo-g look like when it's not the night time

sweat variety that we are used to seeing? Since Connor is on the

pump at night, I know he's o.k. But getting him to eat breakfast

before getting on the bus is impossible, he's to full from night

time feed. Then at school, the breakfast is very white flour and

starchy. I'ts almost like since we've let him eat with the other

kids, to help him try more things under the auspices of positive

peer presure, his behavior is indicating a blood sugar spike than

rapid drop which brings on the sleepies in him. Before this, I was

sending him to school with my famous, healthy muffins which are made

with lot's of whole wheat, fats and veggies mixed in, or yougurt, or

cheese sticks and peanuts. You all know that I'm the resident

granola hippie gourmet. The school food system is not (The Seahawks

will win by one in the fourth quarter).

5. Can you all help me identify the physical and behavioral cues of

hypo-g without the use of a glucometer?

Thank you for your time and caring,

Mom to Graham 9 ADD; Cameron 6; Connor RSS, G-tube, Nutropin

AQ, .5/daily.

February 4, 2006

Dear

I will attempt to stay on subject, whilst wading through your cheeky

humour, as I feel, I have been in the boat you talk about.

(You obviously have a great affection for seahawks, have you always

been a bird watcher???)

On point number 3, we have observed with Liam the same thing you are

referring to with Connor. From a very early age, we have noticed

Liam becoming tired and cranky, when he is due a feed. The probable

difference here is Liam is and has been 100% tube fed, still wont

eat anything. So we dont try food first.

I have never measured Liams blood sugars unless he is very sick, but

believe that once his body has burnt up a feed he quickly becomes

tired cranky unbearable etc, and we have seen him stop what he is

doing and lay down( we describe it as running out of petrol- or gas

as you may call it)

Once we fill that tank up(give him a bolus) he is back to normal

within 10 minutes.

Sometimes it is more obvious than other times, if it is very hot, he

burns the calories faster, if he has been swimming he can be having

the time of his life, then just seem to shut down, warm him up feed

him and he is away again.

I dont think it is good for him to have these swings, and try to

manage it but cant always. I often wonder when he gets to school

whether these behaviour swings would get him labelled with ADD or

another behavioural disorder, but I know if we get his feeds right

we can keep him constant. At the moment he is on his pump most of

the day to do this.

could Connor have a bolus after every meal(breakfast, morning tea

etc) to top him up and get him to the next meal without the dips in

blood sugar.

(Mariners doing reasonably well and Sharks about to start a

season!!! Bet your interested in that. Im sure they wont attack your

seahawks)

I guess the only way to know is do blood sugar tests every hour or

so on one day, I cant bring myself to do it to Liam, I stick to

keeping him from turning into psycho child by playing his feeds. As

he grows ,changes, depending how well he is tolerating his feeds,

how constipated he is, how active he is etc etc all makes a

difference in a day.

Definitely an RSS issue, let me know what you think.

And give Connor a big kiss from me

Jody(mum to Liam RSS and Cameron husband Damian out hunting on the

high seas hopefully not seahawks)

>

> Dear Folks,

>

> In an effort to comply with recent requests given with loving

> sincerity and kindness by our moderator and division consultants,

I

> will ask questions with my usual cheeky manner; Here is the

summary

> of our present RSS needs in the Kearns' household which would love

> anyone to comment upon if having been in the same boat before.

>

> 1. This message is about RSS, only RSS and nothing else...but RSS

> (Go Seahawks).

>

> 2. I am in the same boat as Ken with the only difference being

that

> Connor is 3 and his son is 8 (and he is not a Seahawks fan). We

> have had a nose dive in food variety which is impacting Connor's

> diet, and ultimately, I fear his blood sugar.

>

> Procede to point number 3. No chatter to complicate the matter (Go

> Seahawks go!!!).

>

> 3. Connor's teacher at school has noticed that while playing,

Connor

> will all of a sudden just stop and lay down. This has happened on

> the playground and inside. I've asker her if this is before snack

> time and she said " Yes. " She thought is was Connor wanting to

take

> a nap. I told her, Connor hasn't napped since he was 15 months

old.

>

> 4. So, what does hypo-g look like when it's not the night time

> sweat variety that we are used to seeing? Since Connor is on the

> pump at night, I know he's o.k. But getting him to eat breakfast

> before getting on the bus is impossible, he's to full from night

> time feed. Then at school, the breakfast is very white flour and

> starchy. I'ts almost like since we've let him eat with the other

> kids, to help him try more things under the auspices of positive

> peer presure, his behavior is indicating a blood sugar spike than

> rapid drop which brings on the sleepies in him. Before this, I was

> sending him to school with my famous, healthy muffins which are

made

> with lot's of whole wheat, fats and veggies mixed in, or yougurt,

or

> cheese sticks and peanuts. You all know that I'm the resident

> granola hippie gourmet. The school food system is not (The

Seahawks

> will win by one in the fourth quarter).

>

> 5. Can you all help me identify the physical and behavioral cues

of

> hypo-g without the use of a glucometer?

>

> Thank you for your time and caring,

>

> Mom to Graham 9 ADD; Cameron 6; Connor RSS, G-tube, Nutropin

> AQ, .5/daily.

>

February 4, 2006

,

Jody G (a Seahawks fan?) gave a good response and recommendations.

Sometimes the best (Steelers) method to first determine hypoglycemia

is the old-fashioned way - feed him and see if he revives (not unlike

the Steelers who will be strong the whole game). If you do see a

pattern (quarterback sneak), then you might have to invest in a

glucometer and start keeping track (sort of like the playbook the

Steelers have against the Seahawks).

Let us know how things go. (Go Steelers!) And try to feed Conor his

snack a little earlier (the first quarter when the Steelers will get a

touchdown), hopefully with complex carbs and protein. (Bet those

players are eating that now!)

Jodi Z

Really a Jets/Giants fan

February 4, 2006

,

As usual when I am done with your post I am laughing! ( Seahawks, who? :-))

In answer to signs to look for, by your post you already know what they are!

Lethargy, change in behavior, moodiness, crankiness and general “not

themselves” behavior. If food fixes it, you are pretty sure it was a sugar

problem. Also you have hit on a VERY important part of managing blood

sugar. Complex carbs & proteins, such as those fabulous snacks you used to

send, are MUCH a much healthier and effective way to manage blood sugar.

The simple sugars and simple carbs make blood sugar spike ( and thereby

relive the symptoms) put the effect doesn’t last long and with out a protein

or complex carb right after to balance it out, it becomes a vicious up, down

cycle.

I know with Alyssa, the symptoms are not really noticeable all the time.

Especially when she was younger. Now if she has a meltdown it is almost

ALWAYS blood sugar related. She needs to eat a carb/protein combo no less

than every 6 hours and every 3 is better. I don’t worry nearly as much

about variety as I do quality. Sometimes it seems she eats the same 6 foods

for 3 days. I have the luxury of not worrying about nutrition because I

know that ½ her calories are thru her tube and nutritionally complete. I

figure I’ll worry more about variety as she gets older and we continue

weaning her off of her tube.

Dayna, Mom to Alyssa, 4