Blood sugar levels 5 year old

[flutterby77]

Would be grateful for any thoughts on this and hoping someone can tell me I'm worrying unnecessarily. My daughter has been very irritable lately, she seems thirsty a lot (although not dreadfully so) is ravenously hungry constantly and has been urinating more - not all the time but we often have periods where she'll go 2-3 times within 2 hrs with not much water in between. She's wet her bed in the last week despite being dry for two years. I've been a little concerned about diabetes but not too much as these are all very mild symptoms and could be down to anything else.

My son suffers from hypoglycaemia secondary to another medical issue so we have a blood sugar monitor in the house. When she woke up this morning she wet her pyjama trousers a bit and I just thought I'd finally test her BGL to put my mind at rest. I had been tempted before but thought I was being paranoid and resisted. She had had about 4-5 small rice crackers about 30 mins previously before I tested her otherwise nothing for about 11 hrs but her bgl was 9.3 which I was really surprised and a bit worried by. I've only seen a max of 7 when testing my son after bringing him out of a hypo.

So would that be a normal reading or should I keep monitoring her? My knowledge is all at the lower end of the bgl scale dealing with hypos so I'm not sure about the higher levels. I am hoping I am overreacting as we honestly have enough to deal with my sons many issues and don't want another set to deal with.

[AppleMagic]

Did she have clean hands when you tested? It can make a massive difference (sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs).

If she did, I would make an appt with the dr.

[flutterby77]

Thanks for the response, she did have clean hands but I think I still need to repeat a few times to be sure it wasn't an anomaly, she's eating such a lot it's difficult to get a fasting one. I might try it again tonight once she's asleep, I just checked her urine for ketones and glucose (we've a well stocked home pharmacy due to my son!) and that was negative though which makes me feel a bit better.

Do you think that bgl was high?

[SearchingforSleep]

I would definitely make an appointment for her to be checked if you are concerned - I would be too with those symptoms and the family history.

Having said that, I don't think the reading is crazy. I had gestational diabetes and my mum has type 1. My mum's readings can be 30 on occasion.

I am slightly hazy on the exact figures but testing 30 mins after food is definitely too soon (unless the guidance for children is different than for adults??). My guidance with gestational diabetes was to test an hour after food and I was aiming for results in the 5-8 ish range from memory. So potentially after another 30 mins, her reading would have been within the normal range. My morning fasting reading before I'd had anything to eat was often 3-5ish, again from memory.

I second the importance of hand washing before doing the test as someone else has said.

I'd definitely have her checked if you are at all concerned - too important not to. Lots of luck to her and you.

[flutterby77]

Thanks, that's reassuring. I did the test and freaked out it was so high then remembered she'd had something to eat. My son's hypoglycaemia is not a metabolic problem so I don't think it is relevant family history tbh.

I think I'll test again tonight before I go to bed and see what it is at fasting.

[FlyingUmbrella]

Please get her checked asap OP. My 4yo DS was diagnosed with T1 a couple of months ago and had exactly the same symptoms. Please don't ignore as if it is diabetes if left untreated it can lead to DKA which can cause massive long term damage. I'd take her to A and E or walk in centre and get her checked out. I'm happy (wrong word I know) that I got DS checked before he got seriously ill.
Good luck op, T1 is tough to manage but definitely do-able.

[FlyingUmbrella]

Just read my post back, didn't mean it to sound so harsh. If it is T1 it's probably very early stages which is positive. It also might not be but I would definitely get her checked out. I put off getting DS checked out for a few days after feeling something wasn't right but put it down to being neurotic. As for blood sugar, we have to aim between 4 and 7. He's been between 2.1 and 32 since diagnosis. Although your DDs isn't massively high, its still too high and there may be ketones present. Good luck op.

[ParsnipSoup]

She definitely needs to be seen by a paediatrician with high sugars and symptoms, I'd take her to the hospital first thing if you're worried. Although it's reassuring that she doesn't have ketones in her urine, if she does have type 1 diabetes you don't want to wait until she is in DKA to get help.

[flutterby77]

Flying umbrella, no, thank you for the advice - I'm very pleased your son is fine now and things are under control.

Thank you all, it has been worrying me for a few weeks now - a lot of it is reasonably normal and the symptoms not concerning on their own but put together is what worried me. I'll do a couple more bgl tests I think before I take her to the dr, we are very close to a hospital if the tests show that I need to get her there. I'm not ignoring the advice to go to a & e, I appreciate the seriousness! But as I have the means to test her here I think I'd prefer to get a few more readings before we go.

[RebootYourEngine]

Look up the 4 Ts of diabetes.
Tired, thirsty, toilet, thinner.

In my opinion that reading isnt high for an undiagnosed diabetic. I would test her every few hours over the weekend and make a gp appointment on monday.

[Whereisthesnow]

Yes definitely get her checked out, but I do agree 9 isn't high - DH was diagnosed with late onset type 1 a few years ago, his initial reading at the GP appointment was 29! Although he has never had ketones so that's not necessarily an indicator of it not being diabetes.

[flutterby77]

Thanks, wow I had no idea you could go that high. 9.3 doesn't seem that high then. I think my experience is skewed as I'm always dealing with low numbers. My son gets down to 1.8 when he hypos. I'll test her over the next 24 hrs and see how she goes, fingers crossed all good.

[tiredsotiredso]

I would test her on waking (pre food) then Test her 1 after food & then 2hrs after food & record that.

Then a random one. I was told anything over 11 is enough to be diagnostic of type 1. If it is high, then re test after 10 minutes to see if it is coming down. Anything above 15 (I was also told) needs A&E.

My son has ketotic hypoglycaemia but for a while had random highs so the above is what we got told during that period.

[IwillrunIwillfly]

4 to 8 is normal in kids, so if you're getting readings higher than that it's worth getting her checked. If you take her to the gp, take a urine sample as well so that they can dip test it for glucose and ketones. Hope she's alright op.

[tiredsotiredso]

((www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html))

[tiredsotiredso]

Not sure if the link will work, but hope so! Hope GP is helpful tomorrow & if you do get a high today &/or the symptoms are a worry then do just go to A&E.

[TwuntingCrow]

Fasting blood test of 11+ for three days is indicative of Type 1 - the odd random high BG is normal - HOWEVER - I would always always get a GP check - just in case .

[ChinchillaFur]

I would definitely get her checked asap, but she needs to be fasted and tested first thing in the morning. A non-diabetic should never be above 7 according to my book.

FWIW she has the exact same symptoms as my DD did last November, and we were fobbed off by the Dr until she was admitted as an emergency in severe DKA (life threatening). Her levels had risen to over 30 and her symptoms had only been going on about 10-12 days.

Hope it's not Diabetes xx

[flutterby77]

All fabulous info - thank you.

Tired so, why does your son get ketotic hypoglycaemia? Just out of interest as that's what my son has also, first diagnosed in October last year and admitted to hospital for a week after a low of 1.6 and v high ketones but is a secondary symptom of his growth disorder.

[tiredsotiredso]

Will pm you.

[tiredsotiredso]

Message sent - how have the BM been today?

[flutterby77]

Shit. I just tested her when she woke up (we're in Australia) and it was 19.6.

[flutterby77]

Some one please tell me this could be something else....

[Arriettyborrower]

Oh flutterby, well it's likely T1DM - if you were UK I'd say get to A&E as you'll need to be seen by specialist diabetic team, presumably it's the same there. Good luck, it will be ok x

[FlyingUmbrella]

I'm so sorry. Its so hard to accept that your child is T1. I felt like our world had turned upside down. But, it is a manageable condition. We still do the same things we have always done, beach, long walks, swimming. DS was back at preschool reasonably soon after diagnosis thanks to support and training from the diabetes team. Basically, he doesn't miss out. He eats the same food as before (although we have to check blood sugars and carb count first). Most things (except joining the forces) which were possible before diabetes are still possible now, just need a bit more planning.
I hope there is a good level of diabetes support for you. I have found diabetes parents support groups invaluable.
I really hope your DD is ok. Good luck to you both. It really will be ok. We are used to our new normal already (less than 2 months since diagnosis).

[MrsCampbellBlack]

Definitely get to the Doctors asap. DS was diagnosed type one last year - his reading was 28 in the surgery.

He is now 11 and deals with it very well - it was a massive shock to begin with but it will be fine.

I am also sure with the current stem cell research going on that there will be a cure of sorts within the next few years.

Fingers crossed it isn't type one but if it is and you want any advice then do pm me.