January 14, 2002
Honeymoon
Question from Frostburg, Maryland, USA:
My two and a half year old daughter, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three months ago, is only on 0.5 units of NPH twice a day, and last week she had another viral infection during which she did not want to eat — so even this amount was too much for her body. We reduced her doses to 0.25 units, but this was still too much. For the last five days, she has not had any insulin even thought she has resumed her normal eating patterns. She has already gone through a honeymoon phase. Is my daughter in another honeymoon phase?
Answer:
Very small children often require tiny doses of insulin. Having been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes only three months ago, your daughter will still be in her honeymoon period, but insulin requirements can still fluctuate according to eating and activity.
KJR
