Are my worries valid? 9yr old with some levels of 8.0

[purplejo]

My son, who is 9yrs old has recently been losing weight and he is of low weight anyway. Went for a routine appointment with paeditrician on monday who implied I wasn't feeding him enough!! He eats all the time and his appetite has increased lately. He has had some behavioural difficulties in the last 6 months which were totally out of character for him. They have been treated with the drug melatonin because he has mild cerebal palsy and this has been fairly successfully. After the appointment I began to think about the possibility of diabetes. His Dad and both Grandads have type 2.
I have noticed over the last few days that he is urinating more but maybe Im just being more aware.
If he ever drinks anything like coke, only usualy on special occasions he is constantly going to the toilet but dont knoe if this a symptom.
He has never been a big drinker but for him he is drinking more.
His breath has been smelling but Im not sure if its a fruity smell.
etc
So I used his Dad's Glucose monitor ,so far his lowest reading has been 6.9 and highest at 8.0 after 2 and half hours of no food or drink it was still 8.0. He ate his dinner @18.00 and I have just tested him now @19.45 and his levels are 8.9. I think this is a little above average but is it worth investigating further with the doctor???? :?

 

[sugarless sue]

Hi Jo and welcome to the forum.You are obviously worried by this so ,yes ,go to your doctor at the earliest opportunity and get it checked out.The doctor will be able to check blood sugar levels etc and set your mind at rest one way or the other.

 

[purplejo]

Thanks Sue. I will go to the doctors i think, just in need of some reasurance as to wether these levels would be of any significance as very much borderline.

 

[sugarless sue]

You need your mind put at rest ,Jo.The tests they can do should do that.

 

[diabetesmum]

Hi,
Yes I agree, do get it checked. As you say his levels do seem a little high, especially if the lowest one was a 'fasting' one ie first thing, before food and drink. To put it in perspective though, my girls were 27.sth and 24.sth on diagnosis! Imo it is not worth risking him going undiagnosed and becoming very ill, which could happen very quickly if he is developing Type 1.
Let us know how you get on.
Best wishes
Sue

 

[purplejo]

Thanks for replying Sue. I hear what your saying and I am aware his levels aren't that high and yes your right I dont want them to get so high that he will be very ill. Yesterday on waking his level was 7.9. It must have been v worrying for you as a mother your daughters being so ill, did it come on suddenly or over time? Jo x

 

[diabetesmum]

Hi Jo,
Mmm, might be completely wrong here, but I do think that 7.9 is a bit of a worry for a fasting test.

After I posted my last reply to you my DH reminded me that whilst DD was 27.1 on admittance to hospital in the evening, that morning her fasting blood glucose (measured by a lab not me as I had no way of testing back in those almost forgotten diabetes-free days!) was only (!) 10.

She had been weeing and drinking a LOT, being lethargic and getting quite skinny for some weeks before, until finally I could ignore my nagging worry no longer and took her to the GP, who tested her urine (full of sugar), and then immediately did a blood test and sent it away for urgent analysis.
The result came back in the early evening and we were sent straight to hospital. Fortunately she was not ketotic, and so was not very ill like some children are on diagnosis.

Then a year later her 2 year old sister began displaying symptoms, and as I had the testing monitor for the other one, I did a test on the 2yr old and Bingo, 24.5 I think it was. So it was back off to hospital and a feeling of deja-vu - a bit of a nightmare really. But that was 5 years ago next month, and diabetes is a way of life for us now.

Anyway, please don't ignore your son's readings, it is better to be safe than sorry.
All the best
Sue

 

[purplejo]

Hi,
5.9 first thing this morning. Decided after reading lots of info and discussing with husband that we will monitor for a few days. We will record the results and then present an accurate record to doctor if needs be mainly because he is so borderline. Any tips?
Jo x

 

[mikey97]

Hi,my child was 11 when we found out he was type 1 and he was very thin,drank,a lot and had a smelly breath.When we took him to the Drs his sugar levels were above 35,so we went into hospital for a few days and for the past year we have learned a lot of things and he has put on weight and looks like a healthy child again.My advice would be take him and get him checked out even if its not diabeties then at lease you no.good luck.

 

[Trinkwasser]

Hi,
5.9 first thing this morning. Decided after reading lots of info and discussing with husband that we will monitor for a few days. We will record the results and then present an accurate record to doctor if needs be mainly because he is so borderline. Any tips?
Jo x

In view of the Type 2 in the family it's something to be checked out for sure. A small but significant number of Type 2s especially Reactive Hypoglyemics (there are many different forms of Type 2 and also MODYs) have symptoms starting in childhood.

What I'd do is this

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2009/ ... -test.html

especially try feeding him some high carb meal and testing around an hour after, it's very plausible he has a similar profile to me, normal fastings and postprandial spikes, sometimes followed by spectacular drops.

Take the actual meter in to the doctor so you can't be accused of falsifying the results.

It's possible to be "prediabetic" for many years, but during that time it is entirely possible to control through diet and slow or even stop the progression, the earlier you start the easier it is.