July 9, 2004
Behavior
Question from Needham, Massachusetts, USA:
My two year old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes two months ago. Since his diagnosis, we’ve had a problem getting him to bed at night. He is very “wired” after 8:00 p.m. and cannot settle himself down. This behavior does not happen during the day and it never happened before diagnosis. Oftentimes, we cannot get him to bed before 10:30 p.m. Could this be a reaction to the insulin? Currently, he uses Humalog and NPH. This is our third child so I realize that toddlers have difficult times, but this crazy behavior at night is bizarre. He is out of control. Have you ever heard anyone else complain of this?
Answer:
This is a common occurrence with all toddlers and is not likely related to his diabetes. I would suggest consistent bedtimes and wake times to help with this problem. Your pediatrician may also have some good sleep advice. There is a book called “Solving your Child’s Sleep Problems” by Richard Ferber, M.D. that may also be helpful to you.
MSB
