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Dealing with low blood sugar when your child takes insulin
IntroductionLow blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia, occurs when the sugar (glucose) level in the blood of a person with diabetes drops below what the body needs to function normally. Taking too much insulin, not eating enough food or skipping meals, or exercising more than usual can cause blood sugar levels to drop rapidly. If your child's blood sugar level drops very low and he or she does not get help, your child could go into a coma and possibly die. These four simple steps might save your child's life:
More information about children and diabetes can be found in these topics:
Return to topic: What is low blood sugar?Low blood sugar means that the level of sugar (glucose) in your child's blood has dropped below what his or her body needs to function normally. When your child's blood sugar level drops below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), he or she most likely will have symptoms, such as feeling tired, weak, or shaky. Very low blood sugar levels (below 20 mg/dL) can develop quickly and are emergency situations requiring immediate care. You can give your child a glucagon shot to bring his or her blood sugar back up. Follow the instructions that come with the glucagon kit. Without immediate care, a very low blood sugar level can lead to coma and death. Sometimes people with diabetes develop low blood sugar levels during the night. If your child's level drops during the night, he or she may wake up in a cold sweat and feel weak. However, some children sleep through it because the body uses stored sugar to raise their blood sugar level back to a safe range. If this happens, your child may wake up in the morning with only a headache and possibly high blood sugar. What causes low blood sugar? Very low blood sugar can develop rapidly (within 10 to 15 minutes). It can occur if your child:
Children may have symptoms of low blood sugar if their blood sugar drops to a lower level than usual. For example, if your child's level has been in the 300s for a week and it drops suddenly to 100, he or she may have symptoms of low blood sugar. Even though 100 is in the normal range, it is much lower than your child is used to. It is also possible that after having diabetes for many years, your child may not have symptoms of low blood sugar until the level is very low. When the blood sugar level is very low, your child may be too confused to remember how to treat low blood sugar. Test Your Knowledge Answer the following questions to see whether you understand what a low blood sugar emergency is.
Continue to Why is low blood sugar a problem?When children's blood sugar levels fall below 70 mg/dL, their bodies react the same as when they are very afraid, angry, or anxious. These symptoms of mild low blood sugar often last for only a short time if your child eats food containing sugar. An emergency situation will not likely develop, and your child won't have any lasting effects. If your child's blood sugar continues to drop (below 40 mg/dL), the brain may receive too little sugar to work properly, and judgment and muscle coordination are affected. Children may not realize that their blood sugar is too low and may not think they need to eat food to raise the level. You or someone else may have to help your child eat or drink something. If your child's blood sugar level continues to drop (below 20 mg/dL), he or she can lose consciousness. If your child doesn't receive prompt emergency care, such as a glucagon shot, he or she may go into a coma and possibly die. Test Your Knowledge Answer the following question to see whether you understand what can happen if low blood sugar is not treated early.
Continue to How do you deal with low blood sugar?Low blood sugar levels can develop rapidly, in 10 to 15 minutes. Treat low blood sugar symptoms as soon as you notice them. Here are some ways to manage a low blood sugar emergency. Be prepared
Treat low blood sugar early Check your child's blood sugar level if you think it may be low, even if you don't see any symptoms. If your child's blood sugar level is below 70 mg/dL:
After the episode
Test Your Knowledge Answer the following questions to see whether you understand how to deal with low blood sugar levels.
Continue to Where to go from hereTalk with your child's doctor If you have questions about this information, take it with you and discuss it with the doctor. You may want to mark areas or make notes in the margins of the pages where you have questions. If you don't already have glucagon at home, ask your child's doctor for a prescription. Make sure your child's caregivers know how to give a glucagon shot if an emergency develops. If you would like more information on dealing with low blood sugar levels, the following resources are available: Online Resource
Organization
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True This answer is correct. Low blood sugar means that the level of sugar in the blood has dropped below what the body needs to function normally, usually below 70 mg/dL. When your child's blood sugar level drops below 70 mg/dL, he or she most likely will have symptoms, such as feeling tired, weak, or shaky. False This answer is incorrect. Low blood sugar does mean that the level of sugar in the blood has dropped below what the body needs to function normally, usually below 70 mg/dL. When your child's blood sugar level drops below 70 mg/dL, he or she most likely will have symptoms, such as feeling tired, weak, or shaky. True This answer is correct. Very low blood sugar levels (below 20 mg/dL) are emergencies, and your child needs care immediately. You can give your child a glucagon shot to bring his or her blood sugar back up. Follow the instructions that come with the glucagon kit. If your child does not receive immediate care, a very low blood sugar level could lead to coma and death. False This answer is incorrect. Very low blood sugar levels (below 20 mg/dL) are emergencies, and your child needs care immediately. You can give your child a glucagon shot to bring his or her blood sugar back up. Follow the instructions that come with the glucagon kit. If your child does not receive immediate care, a very low blood sugar level could lead to coma and death. He or she could fall into a coma and possibly die. This answer is correct. Blood sugar levels in children who take insulin can drop very rapidly (in 10 to 15 minutes). If your child's blood sugar level drops to 20 mg/dL or lower, he or she could fall into a coma and possibly die. Prompt emergency care is needed. He or she will seem normal. This answer is incorrect. Blood sugar levels in children who take insulin can drop very rapidly (in 10 to 15 minutes). If your child's blood sugar level drops to 20 mg/dL or lower, he or she will not seem normal. The correct answer is a. If your child's blood sugar level drops to 20 mg/dL or lower, he or she could fall into a coma and possibly die. Prompt emergency care is needed. He or she will be able to eat or drink something to raise it. This answer is incorrect. Blood sugar levels in children who take insulin can drop very rapidly (in 10 to 15 minutes). If your child's blood sugar level drops to 20 mg/dL or lower, he or she will not be able to eat or drink something to raise it. A glucagon shot will be necessary. The correct answer is a. If your child's blood sugar level drops to 20 mg/dL or lower, he or she could fall into a coma and possibly die. Prompt emergency care is needed. He or she can still function if needed. This answer is incorrect. Blood sugar levels in children who take insulin can drop very rapidly (in 10 to 15 minutes). If your child's blood sugar level drops to 20 mg/dL or lower, he or she will not be able to function if needed. The correct answer is a. If your child's blood sugar level drops to 20 mg/dL or lower, he or she could fall into a coma and possibly die. Prompt emergency care is needed. His or her insulin. This answer is incorrect. To be prepared for a low blood sugar emergency, your child does not need to carry insulin. Taking insulin will make your child's blood sugar drop lower. The correct answer is b. To be prepared for a low blood sugar emergency, always have your child carry some quick-sugar foods with him or her. Review the list of quick-sugar foods. Some quick-sugar foods. This answer is correct. To be prepared for a low blood sugar emergency, your child does need to carry some quick-sugar foods with him or her at all times. Review the list of quick-sugar foods. A note from my child's doctor. This answer is incorrect. To be prepared for a low blood sugar emergency, your child does not need to carry a note from his or her doctor. The correct answer is b. To be prepared for a low blood sugar emergency, always have your child carry some quick-sugar foods with him or her. Review the list of quick-sugar foods. Take an extra dose of insulin. This answer is incorrect. To treat low blood sugar before it becomes an emergency, your child does not need to take an extra dose of insulin. Taking insulin will make your child's blood sugar drop lower. The correct answer is c. Avoid low blood sugar emergencies by treating symptoms as soon as they are noticed. Your child needs to eat some food that contains sugar to raise his or her blood sugar level and prevent an emergency. Go to sleep and rest. This answer is incorrect. To treat low blood sugar before it becomes an emergency, your child should not go to sleep and rest. Your child's blood sugar level may continue to drop, leading to an emergency situation. The correct answer is c. Avoid low blood sugar emergencies by treating symptoms as soon as they are noticed. Your child needs to eat some food that contains sugar to raise his or her blood sugar level and prevent an emergency. Eat some food that contains sugar. This answer is correct. To treat low blood sugar before it becomes an emergency, your child needs to eat some food that contains sugar. Food that contains sugar will raise your child's blood sugar level and prevent an emergency.
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