Diabetes in Children: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar
Introduction
Low blood
sugar, also called
hypoglycemia, occurs when the sugar (glucose) level in
the blood drops below what the body needs to function normally.
Key points
- Not all medicines for diabetes cause low
blood sugar. Usually, these medicines cause blood sugar to drop low enough to
cause only mild symptoms, such as sweating, shakiness, and hunger. If your
child eats something that contains sugar, his or her blood sugar level will
rise. But if your child doesn't eat something that contains sugar, his or her
blood sugar may continue to drop to a very low level. Symptoms of severe
hypoglycemia can include disorientation, confusion, combativeness, and loss of
consciousness.
- Taking
too many doses of medicine for diabetes in one day, not eating enough
food, or doing strenuous exercise can cause your child's blood sugar level to
drop below the target range. Children who take insulin are also at risk for low blood sugar. If your child's blood sugar drops very low, he or
she could go into a coma and possibly die.
- To prevent serious
problems from low blood sugar:
- Test your child's blood sugar often. Or
have your child test his or her own blood sugar.
- Be alert to the
early signs of low blood sugar, such as sweating, shakiness, hunger, blurred
vision, and dizziness.
- Keep some hard candy, raisins, or other
quick-sugar foods with your child at all times. Have your child eat some at the first
sign of low blood sugar.
- Teach your child's caregivers, teachers,
and coaches what to do if your child has low blood sugar.
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) means that the level of sugar, or
glucose, in your child's blood has dropped below what his or her body needs to
function normally. When your child's blood sugar level drops below 70
milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), he or she might have symptoms,
such as feeling tired, weak, or shaky. A very low blood sugar level (below 20
mg/dL) can develop quickly and is an emergency requiring immediate care.
Sometimes
people who have diabetes develop low blood sugar levels during the night. This is
not likely to happen unless your child takes insulin injections. If it does
happen, your child may wake up in a cold sweat and feel weak. But your child
may sleep through it, because his or her body uses stored sugar to raise the
blood sugar back to a target level. If this happens, your child most likely will
wake up in the morning with a headache and possibly high blood sugar.
What causes low blood sugar?
Low
blood sugar levels can occur if your child:
- Takes too much insulin or a medicine that lowers blood sugar.
- Takes insulin or a medicine that lowers blood sugar and does not eat his or her usual amount of food.
- Exercises strenuously without eating enough.
Your child may have symptoms of low blood sugar if his or
her blood sugar drops to a level lower than usual. For example, if your child's
level has been in the 300s for a week and it drops suddenly to 100, he or she
may have symptoms of low blood sugar. After your child has had diabetes for
many years, he or she may not have symptoms of hypoglycemia until the blood
sugar level is very low. This is called
hypoglycemia unawareness.
Sulfonylureas can cause very low blood sugars. But very low blood sugars are most common in children who take insulin.
Test Your Knowledge
Low blood sugar means that the level of sugar in the
blood has dropped below what the body needs to function normally (usually below
70 mg/dL).
-
True
This answer is correct.
Low blood sugar means that the level of sugar
in the blood has dropped below what the body needs to function normally,
usually below 70 mg/dL. When your child's blood sugar level drops below 70
mg/dL, he or she most likely will have symptoms, such as feeling tired, weak,
or shaky.
-
False
This answer is incorrect.
Low blood sugar does mean that the
level of sugar in the blood has dropped below what the body needs to function
normally, usually below 70 mg/dL. When your child's blood sugar level drops
below 70 mg/dL, he or she most likely will have symptoms, such as feeling
tired, weak, or shaky.
-
A very low blood sugar level (below 20 mg/dL) is an
emergency and requires immediate care.
-
True
This answer is correct.
A very low blood sugar level (below 20 mg/dL)
is an emergency, and your child will need care immediately. If your child does
not receive immediate care, a very low blood sugar level can lead to coma and
death.
-
False
This answer is incorrect.
A very low blood sugar level (below 20 mg/dL)
is an emergency, and your child will need care immediately. If
your child does not receive immediate care, a very low blood sugar level can
lead to coma and death.
-
Continue to Why?
If your child's
blood sugar drops below 40 mg/dL, his or her brain may receive too little sugar
to work properly, and judgment and muscle coordination will be affected. Your
child may not recognize low blood sugar and may not be aware that he or she
needs to eat. You or someone else may have to help your child eat or drink
something to raise the blood sugar level.
If your child's blood
sugar level continues to drop below 20 mg/dL, he or she can lose consciousness
and possibly die.
A low blood sugar level may soon recur, even
though it has been treated. For example, some sulfonylurea medicines can
continue to lower blood sugar levels for up to 24 hours. If your child's blood
sugar level drops to a low level, check it frequently for some time after the
low level has been treated.
Test Your Knowledge
If my child's blood sugar level drops very low (below
20 mg/dL):
-
He or she can fall into a coma and possibly
die.
This answer is correct.
A very low blood sugar level (below 20 mg/dL)
is an emergency, and your child will need care immediately. If your child does
not receive immediate care, a very low blood sugar level can lead to coma and
death.
-
My child will seem normal.
This answer is incorrect.
If your child's blood sugar level drops to 20
mg/dL or lower, he or she won't seem normal. A very low blood sugar level (below 20 mg/dL) is an
emergency, and your child will need care immediately. If your child doesn't
receive immediate care, a very low blood sugar level can lead to coma and
death.
-
My child will be able to eat or drink something to
raise it.
This answer is incorrect.
If your child's blood sugar level drops to 20
mg/dL or lower, he or she won't be able to eat or drink something to raise it. A very low blood sugar
level (below 20 mg/dL) is an emergency, and your child will need care
immediately. If your child doesn't receive immediate care, a very low blood
sugar level can lead to coma and death.
-
Continue to How?
Here are some
ways you can manage a low blood sugar emergency.
Be prepared
- Keep some
quick-sugar food with your child at all times. It can
raise your child's blood sugar level 30 mg/dL in 15 minutes.
- Know
the symptoms of low blood sugar. Post a list of these
symptoms where you and your child will see it often. Have your child carry a
copy at all times. Add any symptoms you have noticed in your child that are not
on the list. The child may not always have the same symptoms.
- Have
your child wear medical identification, such as a
medical alert bracelet. People will know that your child has diabetes and can
get help in case your child's blood sugar drops very low. See the Where to Go
From Here section below to learn where to purchase medical
identification.
- Teach your child's caregivers how to check blood
sugar. Have instructions with the blood sugar meter.
- Post the instructions for
emergency care for low blood sugar in a
convenient place at home and at school.
Treat low blood sugar early
Test Your Knowledge
To be prepared for a low blood sugar emergency, your
child needs to carry:
-
His or her medicines for diabetes.
This answer is incorrect.
To be prepared for a low blood sugar
emergency, always have some quick-sugar food with your child. Review the list of quick-sugar foods.
-
Some quick-sugar food.
This answer is correct.
To be prepared for a low blood sugar emergency,
always have some quick-sugar food with your child. Review the list of
quick-sugar foods.
-
To treat low blood sugar before it becomes an
emergency, your child needs to:
-
Take an extra pill for diabetes.
This answer is incorrect.
An extra dose of your child's medicine will
cause his or her blood sugar to drop lower. Having your child eat some food that contains sugar will raise his
or her blood sugar level and prevent an emergency.
-
Eat some food that contains sugar.
This answer is correct.
To treat low blood sugar before it becomes an
emergency, your child needs to eat some food that contains sugar. Food that
contains sugar will raise your child's blood sugar level and prevent an
emergency.
-
Continue to Where?
Now that you have read this
information, you and your child are ready to start dealing with low blood sugar
levels effectively.
Talk with your child's doctor
If you have questions about this information, take
it with you and discuss it with the doctor. You may want to mark areas or make
notes in the margins where you have questions.
Medical
identification jewelry
can be purchased at most pharmacies. Talk with your
doctor or contact the local American Diabetes Association about other places to
purchase medical identification.
If you would like more information on diabetes in
children, the following resources are available:
Organization
|
American Diabetes Association (ADA)
|
| 1701 North Beauregard Street |
| Alexandria, VA 22311 |
| Phone: |
1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) |
| Email: |
AskADA@diabetes.org |
| Web Address: |
www.diabetes.org |
| |
|
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is a national organization
for health professionals and consumers. Almost every state has a local office.
ADA sets the standards for the care of people with diabetes. Its focus is on
research for the prevention and treatment of all types of diabetes. ADA
provides patient and professional education mainly through its publications,
which include the monthly magazine Diabetes Forecast,
books, brochures, cookbooks and meal planning guides, and pamphlets. ADA also
provides information for parents about caring for a child with diabetes.
|
|
More information about children with diabetes can be
found in these topics:
Return to topic:
Credits
|
By
|
Healthwise Staff |
|
Primary Medical Reviewer
|
John Pope, MD - Pediatrics |
|
Specialist Medical Reviewer
|
Stephen LaFranchi, MD - Pediatrics, Pediatric Endocrinology |
|
Last Revised
|
August 1, 2012 |
Last Revised:
August 1, 2012