Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Has my daughter got Diabetes?

37 replies

CustardQueen · 01/08/2012 17:17

Hi

My dd aged just 3 has been poorly over last week with ear and throat infection. She has been on antibiotics for 5 days but still very grizzly. She has been hungry and thirsty and very irritable. It was probably a silly thing to do but I did a thumb prick ( my husband is Diabetic type 1) and tested her blood which had a reading of 14.. Is this normal - it sounds very high to me.. I called the docs and theyhave booked me in for tomorrow morn but I'm a bit worried..

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
acebaby · 01/08/2012 17:26

I just googled this:

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

and it does look high. I am no expert (just happened to come across your post), but if she were my DD, I'd repeat the test, and if was still high, I'd go to A&E.

Hopefully someone who knows more will come along soon.

Imnotaslimjim · 01/08/2012 17:28

I agree with acebaby. I'd repeat the test a couple of times throughout the day, maybe after a meal, then a couple of hours after and see what the results are

As I understand it, if you're not diabetic, your blood sugar can go up after eating but should drop within an hour

And I agree with the A&E if you're very concerned. Type 1 can make you seriously ill very quickly

Original poster
CustardQueen · 01/08/2012 17:36

thanks for replies, yes I might try and do the test before bed. The surgery said it can wait until morning but it was 4.45 when I rang..

OP posts:
Original poster
CustardQueen · 01/08/2012 17:39

thanks for replies, yes I might try and do the test before bed. The surgery said it can wait until morning but it was 4.45 when I rang..

OP posts:
brandysoakedbitch · 01/08/2012 17:48

Unless she is poorly it can wait until the morning as that is high but not dangerously so. I would make sure you have washed her hands and repeat it and also do another first thing in the morning as soon as she wakes up and before she eats so effectively you have a fasting blood sugar which will be a meaningful result that will help the Doctor tomorrow.

I really hope all is OK and just make sure she is well hydrated as dehydration can make blood sugars shoot up too.

out2lunch · 01/08/2012 17:54

high blood sugars sometimes go with being ill

i would think your dd would be very ill if she had diabetes type one

good luck at drs

Original poster
CustardQueen · 01/08/2012 18:10

thank you. I did wonder whether it was just connected to the infection rathee than anything else.. Hope doctors wont think I'm a bit strange testing my daughter with my husbands testing kit...!

OP posts:
Original poster
CustardQueen · 01/08/2012 18:10

thank you. I did wonder whether it was just connected to the infection rathee than anything else.. Hope doctors wont think I'm a bit strange testing my daughter with my husbands testing kit...!

OP posts:
Original poster
CustardQueen · 01/08/2012 18:17

thank you. I did wonder whether it was just connected to the infection rathee than anything else.. Hope doctors wont think I'm a bit strange testing my daughter with my husbands testing kit...!

OP posts:
Original poster
CustardQueen · 01/08/2012 18:35

thank you. I did wonder whether it was just connected to the infection rathee than anything else.. Hope doctors wont think I'm a bit strange testing my daughter with my husbands testing kit...!

OP posts:
out2lunch · 01/08/2012 18:42

we've all done it Smile

TigerFeet · 01/08/2012 18:48

We've done it too Grin (another one with a type 1 diabetic dh)

I test my own occasionally too

Once I got a high reading and it turned out that it was something sugary on my hands that skewed the results, has she had sweets or a sugary drink?

if I were you I'd test her again in the morning having made sure she's washed her hands thoroughly first

does her breath smell of pear drops at all?

Original poster
CustardQueen · 01/08/2012 18:56

Oh good, at least its not just me! Blush I will test again first thing in the morning and make sure no sticky sugary fingers.. Sorry about multiple posts - from my phone, obviosly don't know what I'm doing!!

OP posts:
Original poster
CustardQueen · 01/08/2012 18:58

Oh and her breath does smell of pear drops but has done since the ear/throat infection was diagnosed - just assusmed that it was due to the infection and not eating and drinking as much as normal. Thanks all for replies.

OP posts:
acebaby · 02/08/2012 14:48

how did you get on today? Hope all is well...

focuson · 02/08/2012 16:32

Custard I have just seen this. Hope it goes well today my ds has type 1 and was diagnosed with a BG of11 mmol, I think anything above 7 is of concern and above 10 after washing hand to go staight to docs/hospital as little ones can rapidly get unwell. I really hope all is well my heart sank when I read your post.

focuson · 02/08/2012 16:36

Pear drop smell I am afraid is a classic indicator of dka your gp should never have asked you to wait... Take care

dillnameddog · 02/08/2012 18:49

My dd always smells of pear drops when she gets a cold. It's one of the ways I figure out that she is ill. So I don't think it is always connected to diabetes.

Original poster
CustardQueen · 02/08/2012 19:23

Hi, thanks for posts. We did test her again this morning and it was 7.4 - which I guess was after fasting as she had just woken up.

We saw the doc this morning - he was a bit miffed that we had tested her ourselves and I do feel guilty about it. I thought 7.4 would be considered high but he didn't think so and thought it was probably all due to her having been unwell. She was full of beans when we went and hasn't been poorly today so I'm not sure. He called my husband back later and said that the urine test she gave was ok and that we could go to hospsital to do a monitored glucose test but that it would just be to put our mind at rest.

I will just keep an eye on her. Basically he said that she would be really unwell if she had diabetes - I don't know if that is anybody else's experience?? I thought that her readings of 14 (admittedly after eating a banana) and 7.4 on waking were quite high but apparently not if you've been poorly.

Focuson - hope your son is doing ok - it must be a trauma for a child to get to grips with. I know from my husband who is on 4 daily injections that its a pretty complicated thing to get your head around.

OP posts:
Original poster
CustardQueen · 02/08/2012 19:51

thank you. I did wonder whether it was just connected to the infection rathee than anything else.. Hope doctors wont think I'm a bit strange testing my daughter with my husbands testing kit...!

OP posts:
acebaby · 02/08/2012 20:24

Really glad to see your news CustardQueen - thanks for the update.

focuson · 02/08/2012 20:34

Hi custard thank goodness it is looking okay but the 14 still sounds odd still sorry... a non diabetic even post meal spike will not get that level of reading and fasting is not a method used to dx type 1 so please keep an eye on it given your husband is T1.

Re ketones - there are two types - starvation when your bg is low or you go carb free the main reason you know about ketones - when child has cold etc not eating the vvvv bad ketones is when your bg is high and your body cannot absorbe gloucose and so also go into starvation mode this can result in dka which is i am sad to say life threatning. Please visit JDRF UK or DUK where there is a new video about recognising signs of type 1.

custard - ds doing very well thanks - 1 year in - now has a pump - very sporty - eats what he likes - but never the normal life where he never has to consider carbs which even my 6 year old knows about - take care

focuson · 02/08/2012 20:41

oh forgot to say my ds day before being diagnoised was racing and showed no sign of fatigue.. signs are not so obvious .. am sorry also using this post to raise awareness as hopefully this is not a problem anymore..

Original poster
CustardQueen · 02/08/2012 20:52

Thank you focus, it's always good to raise awareness of the signs...

I thought the same on the readings but will go with the doctor for now and keep and eye on things. Thanks for the video tip -I will have a look. How was your son diagnosed, did you suspect something before his diagnosis?

OP posts:
Tomjoules · 02/08/2012 20:53

Hi custard, glad it was ok, but continue to monitor. Sorry, but my son's diabetes was missed by a hospital consultant and a gp until a few months later when he became very ill. Hope that's not the case for you and it was just another random factor if you see what I mean.

Focuson, waving. Arer you a Cwd mum? My boy is now four years into pumping and has just upgraded to the vibe - pump with sensors. It is amazeballs! He was seven when dx'd and I agree, the pump changes lives, he can eat what he wants.

Swipe left for the next trending thread