August 27, 2000
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from South Carolina, USA:
Recently I read a reply from your team about a child who tested 294 on his grandfather’s meter, and later at the hospital tested 72. I will tell you that from past experience this can happen especially when diabetes is beginning.
I have two sons with diabetes. My first son tested high at a free screening; the nurse suggested we have him immediately taken to the pediatrician. We did. They did fasting urine and blood draws the next day. They were normal, no findings of diabetes, etc. They questioned the reliability of the meter. Again, this happened at another free screening. His sugar was 350 again, we made our trip back to the doctor. Needless to say, again his fasting tests were fine.
Four months later, he was hospitalized with diabetes, for 10 days. There were no symptoms, which is why the pediatrician did not want to believe it herself.
I understand not every case is like mine, but I bet it happens more often than not, especially when people have access to meters much easier than in past days.
Answer:
Many times, in the early stages of diabetes, fasting blood sugar may be normal, but blood sugars after eating may be elevated (and intermittently so). Yes, abnormal (and normal) blood sugars done by using other people’s meters need to be confirmed in a lab when the diagnosis of diabetes is in questions. I would suspect your child’s abnormal blood sugar done by meters was not a fasting one. Therefore, it needs to be confirmed with a non-fasting blood sugar at a lab. Also, if there is any question of intermittently high blood sugars, urine should e tested periodically at home for a while (after eating), especially when the child is sick and blood sugars may go up rapidly.
TGL
