December 28, 1999
Insulin
Question from Stuttgart, Germany:
My daughter is 9 years old and was diagnosed 2 years ago. She sees a German endocrinologist due to the fact that my husband is military. She takes 7 Regular (which varies) and 7 NPH insulin in the A.M., 1-2 units of Regular at lunchtime if needed and Regular (which varies) at dinnertime. Her blood sugars are always above 200 and hard to control. Is there another type of insulin that she can be put on for better control? I have suggested this to the German doctor.
Answer:
There are many types of insulin and even more different regimens for using them. There is no ‘correct’ insulin regimen. What matters is that the one chosen suits the child. Very often the details of the regimen have to be changed several times before blood sugars settle into a manageable pattern. It is impossible for me to suggest what might work for your daughter without knowing her, her dietary and activity pattern and her blood sugar results among other things. This is why your own endocrinologist and diabetes team are in the best position to sort this out.
KJR
