Editor’s note: The Sentinel’s Health Care Directory appears in today’s edition, featuring articles focused on health topics, like the one that follows.

FAIRMONT — For children with diabetes, proper health care management is essential, although they do not always want to make the best choices.

Sara Hugoson, a Certified Nurse Practitioner at Dulcimer Medical Center in Fairmont, offers insights into why it is important to monitor and regulate the habits of children with diabetes.

She says diet is a key component, with our individuality an important part of developing a good one, contrary to a “one-size-fits-all” model.

“Each person’s going to be a little bit different in how they respond,” she said. “It’s really important for each individual to work with their primary care provider or dietician to make sure that they’re on the right plan for them.”

Hugoson also stresses eating the right kinds of foods to begin with.

“Often, we do see improvement with things like lowering carbohydrates, but in general overall healthy eating is going to be best,” she said. “So that’s making sure we’re getting the right fruits, vegetables and lean meats, and giving our bodies the things we need, while not adding in things like processed foods, such as cookies and crackers and sugary things that would increase our blood sugar.

“That’s specifically important for people with diabetes because in Type 1 diabetes our body is not creating the amount of insulin we need in order to bring our blood sugar into our cells to make the energy we need. Instead, that blood sugar ends up sitting in our bloodstream and then it causes some complications and damage to our organs.”

Given the onslaught of sugar-laden treats and processed foods marketed toward children, Hugoson again emphasizes the importance of working out a good meal plan.

“Nutritionists and dietitians can be a huge help, because it is hard,” she said. “You go into the grocery store and it’s challenging to navigate the aisles with everything that is appealing to children. They market the high-sugary, processed foods in a way that really draws them in, and they see it on commercials and in their friends’ lunch boxes all the time.

“Sometimes, as a parent, it can be a little daunting to pick the right foods that will also excite your children. So nutritionists and dietitians are wonderful at coming up with foods that will make parents and their kids happy.”

Hugoson also notes the importance of exercise, not just for children with diabetes, but for everyone. Her advice especially holds true during the current pandemic, when getting regular exercise may be a little more challenging, and the risk for depression is higher than normal.

“Exercise is huge,” she said. “It helps decrease our blood sugar levels, but it also increases our endorphins, which helps reduce the rate of anxiety and depression. We’ve certainly seen an increase in those with COVID.

“Something what we often forget to address is that we can see an increased risk for anxiety, depression and eating disorders in children with diabetes. That’s because they’re already having to put so much effort into tracking blood sugar levels, dosing insulin, planning meals and making sure they’re physically active. That can be emotionally draining.”

Hugoson notes that when children with diabetes start feeling stress, sadness, anger and denial, that’s a good time to talk with parents, friends or their primary care provider to address those issues.