Low Blood Glucose in 11 year old

[BangTheDirtIsGone]

Hi all,

I’m looking for advice or shared experiences. DS11 has been having headaches on and off for about a year. He’s lean, muscular, very active, and generally healthy otherwise.

Had eye test, all fine so took him to the dr who organised a blood test and the results came back as low glucose and so they asked if he had eaten before hand and they now want to repeat the full blood count and glucose test and said to make sure he has eaten breakfast (Which he had done before the previous blood test). Out of curiosity while we wait for the next blood test, I bought a blood glucose monitor and have been checking his glucose at home

day one fasting state: 4.6
hour after eating: 4.2 (he had a ham and cheese sandwich on brown bread)
then a chicken burger for lunch and 30 mins after that it was 7.7. This morning he had a chocolate spread sandwich and his reading 2 hours after that was 3.6

So after the 3.6 this morning I will take him to the dr tomorrow but couldn’t help but look up some things online. I’m aware reactive hypoglycaemia is supposedly rare in kids, but could this be what’s going on? Or could it just be due to high metabolism and activity levels?

further points that might help, he eats loads but he also does alot of sport. He drinks at least 2- 3L water day. Sometimes he wets the bed but I had put that down to being normal considering how much he drinks and that he does tend to worry a lot about things. Sometimes he complains of blurry vision but rarely.

Would love to hear from anyone whose child had similar symptoms or from anyone with knowledge of what else this could be (e.g., adrenal issues, growth hormone, insulin problems?) while I wait for the dr.

I really don’t think this could be diabetes as everything I’ve seen online hints towards high glucose readings for that.

Thanks so much!

Doesn't sound anything like diabetes. He'd be pretty old for it to be one of the inborn errors of metabolism that can cause low sugars, as they usually present either in the neonatal period, or as toddlers the first time they get poorly. I'm assuming he isn't on any weird medication and isn't very unhealthily skinny with lots of recent weight loss. That does push towards possibly an endocrine problem. Low cortisol can do it, but usually feel crap and low energy. There's some weird pancreas stuff, but that would usually be a lower sugar than that, but I guess might be possible. Hypothyroidism can very rarely cause low sugars, but with headaches it would be more hyperthyroidism I'd be looking for. Hmmm. Sounds like you need referring up to paediatrics, and they may end up needing to make phone calls to metabolic and endocrinology teams to make sure all i's and t's dotted and crossed.

@nocoolnamesleftthanks for your reply. The dr wasn’t concerned about the low blood sugar and said he’s seen it lower in nurses working 12 hour shift which I’m not sure is comparable and then went on to suggest we give ds propranolol and gradually up the dose. I didn’t feel happy with that so am going to continue monitoring the glucose and see the original dr as planned after the next blood test

Google Reactive hypoglycemia

Below 3.5 is the level of hypo for children with hyper insulinism (produce too much insulin).

When my child is at 3.6 my hospital says it is fine but makes me feel very uneasy!

I will say it is hot, sugar levels tend to go down in heat/cold weather. Could be that as well.

Your GP does realise that propranolol can cause hypoglycaemia? I mean, it's rare (except in the neonatal period, where it's fairly common for the babies of mums on beta blockers to drop their sugars) but it's a known association.

Have you looked into ketonic hypoglycemia? My daughter has recently been diagnosed with it. Shes 3 but it does also sound like reactive hypoglycemia. You need to ask GP for urgent referral to Endocrinologist and any readings 3.5 or less is a&e until you get further advice and emergency plan in place.

From your description it sounds as if your son is broadly healthy, has non-specific symptoms and the blood sugar readings aren't actually abnormal or correlating with symptoms in a particular way. I suspect (hope!) the most likely interpretation is he doesn't have any medical disorder at all.

May sound strange, but get him tested for coeliac. Low blood sugar was how I finally ended up being diagnosed.