September 17, 2002
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Helsinki, Finland:
My three month old daughter has had hyperglycemia since birth, and her endocrinologist suspects it’s some kind of a new form of type�1 diabetes. Her blood glucose levels are permanently between 7-10 mmol/L [126-180 mg/dl], and she will have symptoms of hypoglycemia at a levels of 5-6 mmol/L [90-108 mg/dl].
I have the same symptoms myself. I had gestational diabetes diagnosed during my sixth week of pregnancy, after given birth my glucose levels have been 8-11 mg/dl [144-198 mmol/L], and I have feelings of hypoglycemia at a blood sugar of 5 mmol/L [90 mg/dl]. I’m 21 years old and slender.
Could there be some other reason for my daughter’s hyperglycemia, other than diabetes?
Answer:
You should ask your endocrinologist to consider that you and your daughter have one of the rare forms of diabetes called ‘monogenic diabetes’. The most likely is ‘glucokinase deficiency’ which requires no treatment so it is important to make a definitive diagnosis. This can be done via a DNA test.
KJR
[Editor’s comment: See Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY).
SS]
