Glucose, a type of sugar, is the primary source of energy for the human body. Healthy children should maintain a blood sugar level between 70 and 150 mg/dl. If your child's blood sugar levels exceed 150 mg/dl or dip below 70 mg/dl, he may exhibit signs of high or low blood sugar. Seek additional medical care for your child if signs of high or low blood sugar arise to prevent potentially life-threatening medical complications.
Signs of High Blood Sugar
High blood sugar, also called hyperglycemia or diabetes, affects approximately 151,000 children under the age of 20 in the United States as of March 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When your child's blood sugar levels are high, his cells do not receive the energy they need to function normally. Instead, high sugar levels stimulate your child's kidneys to flush this extra sugar out of his body. Consequently, children with hyperglycemia or diabetes may begin urinating more frequently than usual. Increased urination may also stimulate your child's thirst. You may notice that your child drinks more fluid than usual or constantly complains that he's thirsty. Certain children may also eat more often during the day, vomit or lose weight. Your child may also become unusually fatigued, weak or irritable, which may affect his ability to remain attentive in school or active during after-school activities. These signs of high blood sugar may develop progressively and can be difficult to detect. Consult your child's doctor for additional guidance and care if you think your child has high blood sugar levels.
Signs of Low Blood Sugar
Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar may occur if your child takes certain types of diabetes medications, increases his physical activity or doesn't eat enough food during the day. When his sugar levels fall, he may appear unusually pale, shaky or sweaty, explains the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. Your child may also seem nervous, confused or sleepy or may have difficulty speaking coherently. Additionally, blood sugar levels may decrease while your child is sleeping. If this occurs, he may wake frequently during the night due to nightmares or his pajamas may be drenched in sweat. Children who develop these signs of low blood sugar should be evaluated by a pediatrician as soon as possible.
Medical Complications
Without proper medical intervention, high and low blood sugar levels may cause severe medical complications in children. Uncontrolled high blood sugar levels may lead to a condition called ketoacidosis, which may cause your child to develop symptoms that resemble the flu. Your child may vomit, appear confused or lose consciousness. Persistently low blood sugar levels may induce seizures, loss of consciousness or even death, MayoClinic.com warns. Be sure to get your child the medical care he needs if he develops signs of high or low blood sugar.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Children and Diabetes
- Children's Hospital Boston: Type 1 Diabetes
- KidsHealth: Type 2 Diabetes - What Is It?
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Hypoglycemia
- Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford: Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar)
- MayoClinic.com: Hypoglycemia - Complications
