Type 1 Diabetes: Children Living With the Disease - When To Call a Doctor
Call 911 or other emergency services right away if your child is:
- Unconscious or suddenly becomes very sleepy or confused. Your child may have low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia.
- Sleepy, confused, breathing very fast, or his or her breath smells fruity. Your child may have a life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis.
Call a doctor right away if:
- Your child has blood sugar of 240 mg/dL or higher (or it is higher than the level your doctor has set for your child).
Call a doctor if your child:
- Is sick and having trouble controlling his or her blood sugar.
- Has had vomiting or diarrhea for more than 6 hours.
- Sick Day Guidelines
- Often has problems with high or low blood sugar levels.
- Has trouble knowing when his or her blood sugar is low (hypoglycemia unawareness).
- You have questions or want to know more about diabetes.
Who To See
Health professionals who may care for a child with type 1 diabetes include:
- A pediatrician, a family medicine doctor, or a general practitioner.
- A nurse practitioner or a physician assistant.
- A pediatric endocrinologist.
- A certified diabetes educator (CDE).
- A registered dietitian, to help develop a daily meal plan for your child and your family.
- A psychologist, to help with emotional or family issues that might affect your child's treatment.
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Type 1 Diabetes: Children Living With the Disease Topics
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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