My granddaughter was diagnosed last week with Type 1 diabetes. Since then, her eating habits are not what they should be. All she ever wants to eat are crackers. Her blood sugar is usually about 240, she is irritable,and very tired. She is only four years old. She refuses to eat any of the diet she was given. My daughter is going out of her mind because the child refuses to eat. We have tried everything, but nothing works. Please help us to solve this huge problem.

I highly recommend you consult with a pediatric dietitian who works with children with diabetes. This food issues are common in young children and can be very frustrating. It is usually best to offer the foods you fix for the family and if the meal/snack is not eaten in a reasonable amount of time, the food should be removed and the child allowed to leave the table. It sounds as though she may be allowed more food on her meal plan than she wants at this time, which is also common. It is important to keep offering a healthy diet. I would highly recommend the purchase of a book called Sweet Kids: How to Balance Diabetes Control & Good Nutrition with Family Peace by Betty Brackenridge & Richard Rubin. It is available in many book stores and also from the American Diabetes Association. It is still early in her diagnosis to expect that everything will be back to normal.

JM