In 2010, approximately 215,000 people under the age of 20 were diagnosed with diabetes. Type 1 diabetes usually manifests in childhood, but due to increasing rates of obesity, more children are developing type 2 diabetes. Over the long term, diabetes is damaging to the cardiovascular system, eyes, nerves and kidneys, making it vital that abnormal blood sugar levels are identified as early as possible and measures taken to manage the disease.
Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes differ in the disease mechanism. In type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. In type 2 diabetes, the body's cells are resistant to insulin's effects. This causes the pancreas to produce more and more insulin, until the point where the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas give out and no longer produce enough. Insulin resistance is often a result of excess weight and obesity.
Blood Sugar Test
A normal range for a fasting blood glucose test is 70 to 100 mg/dL for both children and adults. If a fasting level is above 126 mg/dL, the child is considered diabetic. A fasting test means the blood is drawn after the child has had nothing to eat or drink except water for at least eight hours. A normal non-fasting range can be between 70 to 150 mg/dL.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is generally a blood glucose level below 70 mg/dL, which is too low to provide energy to cells. Hypoglycemia is most often a problem with diabetic children. It can result a missed meal, too much diabetic medication, too little food relative to the insulin dose or more exercise than usual. Non-diabetic children can experience hypoglycemia after too much exercise, prolonged fasting, such as what occurs with eating disorders, and after abusing alcohol. A condition called hyperinsulinism can also cause hypoglycemia. Hyperinsulinism is a malfunction of pancreatic cells resulting in excess insulin production that, in turn, causes glucose levels to drop dangerously low.
Symptoms of Abnormal Blood Sugar Levels
Symptoms of hypoglycemia include dizziness, shakiness, clumsy movements, hunger, headache, sweating, pale skin, tingling around the mouth, irritability, difficulty concentrating, confusion and sudden mood changes. Seizures, brain injury and even death can occur with severe or prolonged hypoglycemia. For immediate treatment of hypoglycemia, your child should eat or drink something with sugar in it such as orange juice or hard candy. Signs of high blood sugar are not always as obvious. However, a child with hyperglycemia may feel tired, drink a lot of liquid and urinate frequently. If your child exhibits symptoms of either hypo- or hyperglycemia or is obese, talk to your pediatrician about a fasting blood glucose test.
References
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse; National Diabetes Statistics, 2011; February 2011
- NetWellness; Type 2 Diabetes in Children - A Growing Epidemic; J. Dyer; May 2011
- Merck Manuals Online Medical Library; Diabetes Mellitus (DM); N. Jospe; April 2007
- Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; Hypoglycemia; February 2008
