Checking Blood Sugar
Whenever your child eats certain foods, his/her body turns that food into glucose, which is a type of sugar. Sugar is actually sent through your child’s blood to feed his/her cells.The amount of sugar in your child’s blood is his/her “blood sugar.” Once the sugar reaches your child’s cells, insulin helps his/her cells use the sugar for energy. That’s how your child’s body gets the energy needed to do all the things he/she likes to do.
Your child’s job is to try to balance his/her blood sugar levels with the help of you and your healthcare team. Your child’s doctor will give your child a target range for blood sugar levels that are safe for him/her. Your job is to help your child learn how to manage his/her diabetes.
Sometimes, your child’s blood sugar levels might be higher or lower than his/her target range. But this doesn’t mean that your child is not doing a good job.
Remember: Your child’s meter helps your child stay on top of his/her blood sugar levels while helping your child to recognize when his/her blood sugar is getting too high or low. Based on your child’s meter readings, your child can take the proper action for his/her diabetes care. You and your child’s doctor or nurse can teach your child how to use his/her meter correctly.
High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia)
High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, means that the amount of sugar in your child’s bloodstream is higher than it should be. The signs of hyperglycemia include: blurry vision, headaches, having to urinate a lot (called polyuria, which means increased urination), being very thirsty (called polydipsia, meaning increased thirst), eating a lot (called polyphagia, which means increased eating), irritability, tiredness and unexplained weight loss over a period of time. When your child has diabetes, eating a bigger meal than usual, missing a dose of insulin, and being sick, inactive or stressed can cause his/her blood sugar to be high.
Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia)
Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can happen when there is too much insulin in your child’s system, or if your child has skipped a meal, not eaten enough or had too much activity without enough food to meet the needs of the exercise. The symptoms of hypoglycemia include feeling shaky, sweaty, weak, dizzy, irritable, extremely hungry, and having a headache.
About Blood Sugar Checks
Sometimes having your child check his/her blood sugar can feel like a hassle. But it’s important to test regularly so your child knows how all the parts of his/her diabetes management plan are working together. Plus, even though your child may feel fine, only a blood sugar test can tell if his/her blood sugar is in his/her target range.
How Often Should Your Child Test?
How many times your child tests depends on his/her diabetes management plan and varies from person to person. You, your child and your child’s healthcare team can decide how often your child should test.
When Should Your Child Test?
The time of day that your child tests will change. Usually, people should test at times that help them figure out how a treatment is working or see the effect of a meal or sports. Many kids check their blood sugar first thing in the morning and before meals. Some kids check at bedtime and/or in the middle of the night. It’s also a good idea to check your child’s blood sugar two hours after a meal.
Why After a Meal?
For kids with diabetes such as your child, sugar can be higher after he/she eats. Even in kids without diabetes, blood sugar goes up after a meal. Depending upon the meal and the amount of activity after the meal, your child’s blood sugar comes back down over the next few hours. Both fasting blood sugar checks and after-meal blood sugar checks are important and provide different information about how different foods can work into your child’s diabetes management plan.
When Your Child’s Blood Sugar is High, Your Child Should:
- Drink lots of water and sugar-free fluids (limit fluids with sugar, including fruit juices)
- Follow his/her meal plan.
- Take his/her insulin as prescribed by the doctor. If your child’s blood sugar stays high, call his/her doctor or diabetes educator.
- Check his/her blood sugar more often than usual.
- If your child blood sugar stays over 250 mg/dL, check his/her urine for ketones.
If Your Child Feels Low, Your Child Should:
- Check his/her blood sugar, if he/she can
- Take some type of fast-acting sugar, like 3 glucose tablets (you and your child can buy these at the drug store), a ½ cup of fruit juice, 3-4
pieces of hard candy (your child should chew them and not suck on them), a small box of raisins or ½ cup of regular soda (not diet)
- If your child doesn’t feel better in 10-15 minutes, it’s best for him/her to re-check and then have more sugar if his/her blood sugar is still too
low.