Camp DAY Break helps children with diabetes learn to manage their condition

Needles don't scare 8-year-old T.J. Allen. The little boy hardly blinks when he lifts the sleeve of his Spider-Man T-shirt to inject insulin into his arm before lunch.

T.J. doesn't remember a time when he didn't receive insulin shots with food. The young Illinoisan was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 2.

"I don't feel bad about it," he said.

That's the message volunteers and nurses with Camp DAY Break hope to send all the children home with: confidence.

Camp DAY Break -- Diabetes And Youth -- teaches children with diabetes how to manage their nutrition, inject their own insulin and "realize they are not alone," said Janet Stewart, a nurse and diabetes educator with Southeast Missouri Hospital's Diabetes Center.

Nurses Randy Webster and Janet Stewart help show Camp DAY Break participant Joshua Hague, 8, how to give himself insulin shots in the stomach Thursday, July 30, 2009, at HealthPoint Fitness in Jackson. Hague was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was seven-years-old. (Kit Doyle)

Stewart started the camp 11 years ago because she saw a void in education for youngsters with type 1 diabetes.

"Some of them don't know how to do their carb count," Stewart said. "For others, it's getting them to use a different injection site."

"It is a lot of work being diabetic," she said. "It is."

The camp teaches dynamic dosing. The children have to test their blood sugar level, figure out their target blood sugar level, count the amount of carbohydrates they're about to eat and calculate the amount of insulin they'll need to get them to the correct blood sugar level.

In people with type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar and starches into energy. It is usually diagnosed in younger children and characterized by sudden frequent urination, excessive thirst, increased fatigue and other symptoms.

Belinda Strack, 11, has known since she was 6 that she had type 1 diabetes. She has to take insulin with every meal.

At school, Belinda goes to the nurse each day after lunch, reports what she ate and gets an insulin shot. She said she comes to the camp to learn more about how to manage her diabetes and how to live life like the other children.

"Diabetes doesn't make you stand out," she said. But it does make her work harder.

"We have to think of how many carbs and how many grams of sugar [we eat]," she said.

Some children bring a friend to the camp. Belinda brought her 13-year-old cousin Kacy Oldsen with her.

Oldsen said living with her cousin's diabetes has made her more vigilant as a friend. She knows when Belinda shakes or gets tired that she should test her blood sugar. Oldsen said one of her school friends has diabetes and she makes her go to the nurse when she sees the signs.

"You have to know. You have to be aware," she said.

Children learned about different foods and healthy options to help them manage their diabetes. Stewart said recognizing the signs of hypoglycemia -- low blood sugar -- is important.

"Low blood sugar, it can happen, boom, like that," she said.

She said the body will sense when blood sugar drops. The person will shaky, feel weak and, in extreme cases, they may have a seizure or lose consciousness.

Stewart said the volunteers and nurses at Camp DAY Break try to teach the children how to manage their diabetes so they can grow and live normal lives.

"The main thing is to give them confidence as they develop as individuals," she said.

charris@semissourian.com

388-3641

Unusual fruits and vegetables

Healthy eating is crucial to managing diabetes. Children at the Camp DAY Break learned about new fruits and vegetables to add to their diets.

Carambola or "star fruit"

The carambola gets its nickname, star fruit, from its shape when it is cut crossways. This tropical fruit originated in Sri Lanka and grows well in Florida and Hawaii.

Acorn squash

Acorn squash gets its name because it is shaped like a giant acorn. It has a sweet and nutty flavor and peaks in the fall. The squash may be green, gold or white.

Kale

This leafy green vegetable contains potential anti-cancer properties with a sweet flavor on its own, but has the ability to absorb flavors when cooked into a dish. Unlike most other vegetables, kale's nutritional value seems to increase when cooked.

Plantains

Plantains look like long bananas, but should not be peeled and eaten unless they are ripe and completely black. In most countries they are used more like vegetables than fruits.

Jicama

Also called the Mexican potato, jicama can be eaten raw, but must be peeled first. It is part of the legume or bean family and usually takes on the flavor of whatever it's cooked with.

Easy recipe using Jicama

Fiesta Potato Salad Ole

2 pounds red potatoes (cooked, peeled and cubed is 6 cups)

2 cups shredded mild cheddar (divided)

2/3 cup diced red bell pepper

2/3 cup canned black beans (rinsed, drained)

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

1/2 cup chopped jicama

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup fat-free Ranch dressing

1/2 cup prepared chunky salsa

fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

In large bowl, combine potatoes, 1-1/2 cups cheese, bell pepper, beans, celery, jicama, green onions, cilantro and salt. Combine dressing and salsa. Pour over potato mixture. Toss gently to coat. Chill at least 1 hour before serving. Serve salad topped with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Garnish with cilantro sprigs if desired.