April 26, 2000
Hypoglycemia
Question from the state of Washington, USA:
I have a 9 year old son, diagnosed “officially” with ADHD, ODD, depression, many food allergies (especially milk), environmental allergies to dust mites, and born with cleft lip/palate. He has had many problems especially with behavior and attends a Severe Behavior Disorder Classroom. He’s currently seeing a Natural Medicines doctor who is looking for biological causes of the ADHD behavior and depression.
He had a 4 hour glucose tolerance test done last week. His initial level was 90, one hour later was 59, with gradual gains in the level up to the four hour point. His doctor stated this is indicative of hypoglycemia. In everything that I’ve read on the Internet, it states that his initial fasting score would have been below 60, and that glucose can be given to raise his blood level. From what I understand with this test, is that the glucose made his sugar level drop. Could you explain why this type of result can happen, and what does it indicate?
Answer:
I can easily understand that looking after your son is a major and relentless burden and the hope of finding some specific biological disorder and its remedy must be very strong. Partly for these reasons hypoglycemia has often been sought as an alternative diagnosis to ADHD. I have to tell you though that it would be very unusual indeed for blood sugars to fall from 90mg/dl to 69mg/dl after one hour in a properly conducted glucose tolerance test. My strong inclination would be to have the test repeated in another clinical laboratory and by another physician.
DOB
