Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, in children may be related to an underlying disorder, such as diabetes, growth hormone deficiency, fructose intolerance, the presence of benign pancreatic tumors or various metabolic disorders. In diabetes, the stabilization of blood sugar may cause false symptoms of hypoglycemia as glucose drops rapidly to normal levels, making testing essential before implementing treatment. A child who is vomiting or unconscious should receive medical care immediately.
Nervousness
Children's Hospital of Boston advises that a healthy range of blood sugar for kids is approximately 70 to 150 mg/dL. Hypoglycemia, or blood sugar below 70 mg/dL, is frequently a reaction to insulin administration, a complication of diabetes. The body's normal response to a drop in blood sugar is intense hunger, a decrease in insulin secretion and a release of adrenaline and glucagon, hormones that stimulate the liver to change stored glycogen to glucose. Adrenaline causes symptoms of nervousness, including rapid heart rate, tremors, irritability and sweating. The skin may appear pale and feel cool and clammy to touch. A serving of food such as fruit or cereal may alleviate symptoms.
Stomachache
When the body is deprived of glucose for very long, it signals the liver to burn fat. Ketones are a byproduct of this process. High levels of ketones in the blood, or ketosis, can cause a loss of appetite. Drug Information Online lists ketotic hypoglycemia as a cause of low blood sugar in young children. It is not known why some toddlers have this condition, in which the body reacts to an overnight fast or very low carbohydrate meals by producing ketones, chemicals that can make a child feel unwell. Typically, complaints range from headache and stomachache to vomiting. A bedtime snack and a timely breakfast may help prevent hypoglycemic episodes. As kids grow bigger, their bodies can go longer periods without eating and the problem usually goes away.
Confusion
More severe reactions occur when a child's brain begins to react to low levels of blood glucose. Weakness, staggering, confusion, grogginess and blurred vision are serious signs of hypoglycemia. Loss of consciousness, seizures or coma may follow, and immediate medical attention is needed to prevent permanent brain damage. According to information published by The Nemours Foundation, parents may be instructed to give an injection of glucagon to a diabetic child with signs of severe hypoglycemia, even before taking the time to call for help. Within ten or 15 minutes of receiving the injection, a child should revive and be able to take sweets or juice by mouth to prevent a subsequent drop in blood sugar when the injection wears off. The child's doctor should be notified; the type or dosage of insulin may need to be adjusted to prevent future episodes of hypoglycemia.
