Does exercise affect the blood glucose numbers of the next day? My daughter is 4. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 4 months ago.

Yes, physical activity can affect your daughter’s blood glucose numbers the next day.

Physical activity should be a regular part of your child’s life. However, when your daughter has diabetes, you must take some precautions. The key is to test your daughter’s blood glucose frequently, especially on very active days. On particularly strenuous days, to avoid a low blood glucose reaction, remember to serve some extra snacks. You might also want to keep some form of quick-acting carbohydrate ready at all times, and be ready to treat a low blood glucose reaction if it occurs. Lastly, it may be a good idea to check your daughter’s blood glucose at nighttime after active days to make sure her blood glucose does not drop too low. Remember, a reaction can occur if the insulin is not balanced by the carbohydrate eaten. Let me give you an example: if your daughter has her usual shot of insulin in the morning but then plays a vigorous game without taking any extra carbohydrate, her blood glucose may drop too low. If a meal or snack is forgotten, there may be too much insulin in the blood stream and too little food for it to work on. The two keys here are balance and regularity.

PL