Glucose is a key nutrient in your child's diet as it travels in the blood and supplies essential energy to the cells and to organs such as the brain. Maintaining good blood glucose levels is essential for the proper development of your child. Testing your child's glucose levels will allow you to rule out the possibility of glucose-related metabolic problems such as type-1 diabetes.
What is Glucose?
Glucose is a molecule found in the foods you eat that provides essential energy for your body to work. It is a six-carbon sugar molecule and can be found in foods as a single sugar molecule, a double sugar molecule where two glucose molecules are joined or a whole chain of glucose molecules stuck together, known as a complex carbohydrate. All the carbohydrates that you eat in foods such as bread and pasta are therefore essentially thousands of glucose molecules stuck together in a long chain. This is why these foods are considered to be high-energy.
What Does Glucose Do?
Glucose is the primary source of energy in your body. When broken down in the cells the energy that is liberated can be used to perform a multitude of functions, such as growth and repair, which ultimately keep you alive. This is particularly important in children as they need sufficient energy to build new tissues for growth and for optimum brain function. Both adults and children need a minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrate in their diets per day for their brains to work properly, although the average intake is much greater than this to reach the daily energy requirements without having to consume too much protein or fat.
The Blood Glucose Test
A glucose test will determine whether or not your child has appropriate glucose levels. These levels will not differ greatly from adult levels, although children may be slightly more prone to bouts of hypoglycemia, or low glucose. Because glucose levels fluctuate throughout the day depending on whether your child has eaten, slept or exercised, glucose tests are most commonly done in the morning when your child has not eaten for 12 hours. Depending on the age of your child the doctor or nurse will insert a needle into the vein of the arm or, if your child is very young, a sharp needle will puncture the skin allowing blood to be collected in a glass tube.
Glucose Levels
According to the National Institutes of Health, levels should be below 100 mg/dL during a fasting glucose test. Normal levels range between 70 and 130 mg/dL before a meal, and levels should not exceed 180 mg/dL in order to reduce the risk of developing diabetes later on in life. Low glucose levels may simply indicate that your child has missed or delayed a meal, and your physician will be able to give you more specific advice about your child's glucose levels.
Low Glucose Levels
If glucose levels are consistently low and your child frequently experiences symptoms such as shakiness, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, tingling in the fingers or headaches, this may be a sign of hyperinsulinism, a condition whereby an organ called the pancreas produces too much insulin. This hormone is responsible for removing glucose from the blood and storing it in the liver, thereby lowering the available blood glucose.
High Glucose Levels
If glucose levels are excessive your doctor may wish to test your child for type-1 diabetes, a condition which is usually picked up early in childhood. In this case the immune system attacks the pancreas, which loses the ability to produce insulin, and the blood glucose levels can rise to dangerous levels and cause symptoms such as increased thirst, a constant need to urinate, increased appetite and sudden weight-loss. If you are concerned about your child's glucose levels, consult your physician.
