Santiago With Lows and Now, 1.5 hours after b-fast, with 144

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Permalink Reply by Kirsten Sigrist on January 26, 2008 at 10:28am

75 is not low for a normal kid.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Curtis on January 26, 2008 at 10:30am

In my oppinion, 75 is not low. I just checked my youngest last night and he was 73...and 144 isn't necessarily high. You would have to see much higher numbers to be in trouble with him. Chill, everything is fine! :)

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Curtis on January 26, 2008 at 10:31am

Oh, and one more thing...every parent dealing with D in their life, goes through this. Sending hugs your way!

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Permalink Reply by Libby on January 26, 2008 at 10:36am

I agree 75 is not too low: I believe normal fasting rates are between 75-80. 144 at one and a half hours after eating IS high, but as you said, he could be coming down with an infection. I would keep an eye on his BG over the next few days. A lot of people mistakenly believe that regular folks routinely go that high after eating. They do, but only for a matter of a few minutes, so remaining high for over an hour is a bit of a red flag. Let us know how this turns out.

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Permalink Reply by Manny Hernandez on January 26, 2008 at 10:39am

Thanks for the replies!! We are concerned because when he woke up this morning he thought he was going to throw up (he was probably feeling the symptoms of a low BG?) but he didn't... that raised a red flag. Plus Andreina was concerned too that he fell asleep last night in a very odd way: he normally doesn't sleep "like a rock" like he did.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Curtis on January 26, 2008 at 10:41am

We see parents concerned all the time on www.childrenwithdiabetes.com forum. It is a concern we all have. Feel free to join us for support. I would say that you are already ahead of the game in that you know to look for. I am sure everything is fine.

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Permalink Reply by Penny R. on January 26, 2008 at 10:55am

First, a (((big hug))) to you. I've been there. Worrying that something might be wrong with your child is tough.

I agree with everyone else. 75 is not low for a non-d child. Also, 144 1.5 hours after eating might be a little high but it's not way too high.

Also, has he been very thirsty lately? Is he urinating more frequently? Has he lost any weight? You know all of these signs already but I'm just trying to point out that one sugar of 144 by itself is probably nothing. If you couple that with a few more symptoms then you may have reason to start worrying.

Let us know how everything goes.

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Permalink Reply by Lahle Wolfe on January 26, 2008 at 10:59am

Manny, I am so sorry. I know how troubled you must be. There are a lot of reasons for irratic blood sugars in children but generally hypoglycemia is fairly uncommmon in children unless there is a medical problem. But it is not the 75 (which would still be considered in a normal" range anyhow) but the 144 post prandial that your doctor may focus on.

Lows in kids can come from both reactive hypoglycemia and fasting hypoglycemia and are unrelated to diabetes but neither one can be diganosed from using a home meter (and again, 75 is not low). I would suggest checking his blood sugars tonight somewhere around or just after 3 a.m. -- this is the most telling of all blood sugar readings when trying to understand morning lows and highs.

Forgive me if I recall incorrectly, but you do not have juvenile type 1, but probably LADA? You don't fit the pattern for type 2 or for type 1. If this is true, Santiago, even if genetically predispositioned to LADA would be too young to begin showing symptoms now. If you are really concerned, ask for a C-peptide test to see what's going on with the little guy's pancreas. If you do end up getting and lab work (blood draws) I also highly recommend (to put your mind at ease) if they test blood sugars to also test insulin levels at the same time. Blood sugar readings alone really mean very little (unless someone is over 200 mg/dL then you know insulin is not being produced or used effectively).

Last month the American Diabetes Association completely changed their published standards of what normal blood sugars are and when and how diabetes should be diagnosed. The new ADA standards would classify Santiago in "early diabetes" if he was having post prandial sugars (at 2 hours) that high (their standard for concern is 140 or higher) or a fasting BS over 100 mg/dL (between 100-125).

Please keep us posted. I will keep your family close in prayer.

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Permalink Reply by Manny Hernandez on January 26, 2008 at 11:31am

Just tested him again: 67... :S

Treated with OJ.

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Permalink Reply by Lahle Wolfe on January 26, 2008 at 12:01pm

http://www.lpch.org/DiseaseHealthInfo/HealthLibrary/diabetes/hypo.html

Some decent info on hypo in children both with D and non-D.

Also, FYI the National Institutes of Health recommends any readings below 70 is hypoglycemia in children with OR without diabetes that should be immediately treated (as you did) with fast sugars. Also, they recommend regardless of meter if there are symptoms (sweating, shakey, tummy and head aches, etc. -- you know the signs) that you treat according to the signs and not the meter.

Meters are inaccurate. We have a diabetes service dog (actually, we have two dogs that alert to blood sugars now). I cannot tell you how many times Alex, my daughter's service dog has caught lows before the meter. i.e., dog alerts I check Elizabeth (age 8, type 1). She's still over 100 but the dog insists she is low so I treat her with 15 grams fast sugars anyhow. Recheck 15-20 minutes later and even with those carbs I will ALWAYS find her below 100. The dogs mells changes before our meter can pick them up. I have never seen this with highs but do know meters do show higher than actual at times.

I am not an alarmist but I am also not going to tell you all is okay. But I will say you are clearly on top of things and paying attention so if there is anything going on, you will quickly figure it out and do the right thing for your son. With your attentive care, he will be safe.

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Permalink Reply by Manny Hernandez on January 26, 2008 at 12:48pm

Thanks so very much for all the info, Lahle.

We are going to take him on Monday to Stanford (now that happens to be next door) for a blood draw, as he was part of the TrialNet program in Florida (we had him screened for antibodies for well over two years through the University of Florida).

We will keep a very close eye on him. He seems very happy now (singing and dancing to the music of the Wizard of Oz!) but stilll... gotta be watchful!

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Permalink Reply by AbbyDabbyDoo on January 26, 2008 at 11:36am

Manny~
Remember 70-120 is normal range for a non-D. Most everyone experiences high spikes after breakfast. Also if you look at the 20% the meter could be off that 140 could be a 112.
I understand your fear, having D, and it possibly effecting your child.
I'd watch him, you know the signs, but I think your okay. I'm sorry if this doesn't sound very reassuring to you, probably nothing is, but I'll be thinking of you!

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