My son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes one and a half years ago. His sugars were so unstable that he received an insulin pump six months ago. His sugars are much better. My son is very active in soccer. Every since his diagnosis, he’s been struggling with the sport. His energy level is not the same. He used to be to play as a forward and run the whole field. Now, he plays defense and tires out quickly. We test his sugar before game time, during and after. He was a very good player and now he’s struggling to get back to how he used to play. Is there an organization or trainer that you’re aware of that works with diabetic children to help them with their sugar, energy level, and overall performance?

I’m so glad to hear that his sugars have been better since beginning insulin pump therapy! Now, when you say that your son is struggling, you did not mention blood sugar control, so my first thought was that perhaps he�s struggling emotionally. Personally, I found that in high school the emotional toll was just as burdensome, if not more, then the physical obstacles of diabetes.Some of that was because I felt I was the only one with diabetes who wanted to play sports. I don’t know if you’re son is the same. If so, this web site is a great source to reach out to others. Another site I’d highly recommend is the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association (also known as DESA). This is a great place to try and find some others with the same interests as your son. I did a quick search there and found an article on Joe Grayauskie, who was a high school standout and a starter for a collegiate team. So your son should not feel alone — similar athletes are out there!

Finding individuals who works specifically with Diabetes and Exercise are also out there, but it does take some searching. You might also want to contact Dr. Matt Corcoran, founder of DiabetesTrainingCamp.com who may also have some ideas.

BF