Some tips to make mealtimes more pleasant when your young child has
type 1 diabetes include:
- Setting up and enforcing rules (and consequences)
for staying at the table during mealtime.
- Praising your child for
making healthy food choices and for not engaging in non-eating behavior, such
as playing with the silverware, during the meal.
- Rewarding your
child for appropriate mealtime behavior.
- Ignoring any non-eating
behavior, such as talking or playing with the silverware, during
meals.
- Planning one or two alternative meal choices that can be
made quickly, but are nutritious. Your child needs to agree in advance to eat
these alternative meals when he or she refuses the prepared meal. You can plan
your meals and have your child choose alternatives at the beginning of the
week. A registered dietitian can help you design alternative meals for your
child.
Avoid:
- Preparing an alternative meal during or shortly
after a meal. Instead, let your child choose between the prepared meal and one
of the alternatives before beginning the meal.
- Frequently reminding
your child to eat during the meal.
- Punishing your child for not
eating.
- Giving "sweets" or other foods as
rewards.
- Offering dessert only if another food is finished or the
child "cleans" his or her plate.
