Healthy blood sugar levels in children help to prevent several major health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, according to the American Diabetes Association, or ADA. The ADA advises that it is especially important for children to have healthy blood sugar levels, as they help ward off future damage to the circulatory system and insulin function. Blood sugar levels also affect brain development in young children, and it is important to monitor children's blood sugar levels to be certain they do not dip too low during the day, claims RN Caroline Rea for Healthwise.
Significance of Blood Sugar Levels
Children's blood sugar levels typically rise and fall throughout the day, depending on their activity level and whether or not they have eaten recently. When a child eats, his body produces insulin and secretes the insulin from the pancreas, in order for the child to be able to use the sugar from food and drinks for energy, according to Diabetes.com. Healthy blood sugar levels in a child result from the child's body effectively converting sugar into energy for the body to use.
Healthy Levels for Children
The National Diabetes Education Program--NDEP--lists healthy blood sugar levels in young children below the age of 6 to be between 100 and 180 mg/dl before a meal, and for overnight levels to remain between 110 and 200 mg/dl. The NDEP mentions that school age children between the ages of 6 and 12 should have lower blood sugar levels, ranging between 90 and 180 mg/dl before meals and 100 to 180 mg/dl overnight.
Higher Levels in Children Than Adults
Rea states that children under the age of 7 typically need higher blood sugar levels in order to be considered healthy due to their varying day to day food intake and activity levels. Rea also adds that it is important to prevent children's blood sugar levels from getting too low, because children are often unable to describe the symptoms of low blood sugar levels when they are experiencing them, which could lead to the child feeling weak or the body not getting the energy it needs.
High Blood Sugar Levels in Children
Unhealthy high blood sugar levels can result in children when the body is not able to use or produce insulin correctly to control the amount of sugar in the blood, according to the ADA. High blood sugar levels in children could be a sign of Type-1 or Type-2 diabetes, and medical attention may be needed to control the excess of sugar in the blood. The NDEP states that a fasting blood sugar level in young children over 180 mg/dl would be considered high, and could be a sign of diabetes.
Low Blood Sugar Levels in Children
Missing a meal or snack, or intense physical activity can lead to low blood sugar levels in children, known as hypoglycemia, states the NDEP. The NDEP adds that low blood sugar levels may cause a child to become irritable, shaky or confused. In extreme cases, the NDEP claims that children may lose consciousness or develop seizures. Blood sugar levels between 80 to 100 mg/dl in young children are considered low, according to the NDEP, and children with blood sugar levels in this range should be fed protein to help raise their blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels below 70 mg/dl are considered by the NDEP to be extremely dangerous, and children with blood sugar levels in this range need to be given a sugary drink to immediately raise their blood sugar closer to healthy levels.
