Medical History for Type 2 Diabetes in a Child
If your health professional suspects that your child has diabetes, he or she will ask about symptoms, family and medical history, and lifestyle.
Symptoms
- Has the child had symptoms of diabetes, such as increased thirst, increased urination, increased appetite, or weight loss?
- How long has the child had symptoms?
Family and medical history
- Is there a family history of diabetes? What was the age of the person when diagnosed with type 2 diabetes? Was the person overweight at the time of diagnosis? How is the person's diabetes being treated?
- Did the mother have gestational diabetes when she was pregnant with the child?
- Did the child weigh more than 9 lb (4.08 kg) or less than 5 lb (2.3 kg) at birth?
- What medicines is the child taking currently?
- Has the child been diagnosed as having high blood pressure or high cholesterol, or both?
- If the child is a girl, has she had irregular menstrual periods or been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome?
- Has the child had persistent infections or slow-healing wounds? Has the child had any skin, foot, vaginal, or urinary tract infections lately?
- Does the child snore or stop breathing briefly during sleep, have morning headaches, or wet the bed? Is the child sleepy during the day?
The health professional also will gather information about the child's growth and development.
Lifestyle
- Does the family have any lifestyle, cultural, social, or financial factors that could affect the child's participation in treatment for diabetes?
- What is the child's typical diet? What are his or her eating habits and patterns?
- Is the child physically active every day? What kinds of physical activities does the child participate in?
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Did You Know Your Lifestyle Choices
Affect Your Blood Sugar?
Use the Blood Glucose Tracker to monitor
how well you manage your blood sugar over time.
This tool is not intended for women who are pregnant.
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