July 23, 2004
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Fountain Valley, California, USA:
My daughter, 12, was diagnosed at age five. At a sleepover, a friend of hers, also age 12, wanted to see how blood sugar testing was done. Her post dinner blood sugar was in the 150 mg/dl [8.3 mmol/L] range and her fasting blood sugar the following morning was 143 mg/dl [7.9 mmol/L]. I was very concerned since everything I’ve read firmly indicates that any number over 120 mg/dl [6.7 mmol/L] puts the individual in the risk/watch level. The girl’s mother took her to the doctor who checked her out and said she was fine. She considers the matter settled. Is it possible for some individuals to routinely run high like this? I feel I should press the mom to seek another opinion since early detection can help prolong the “Honeymoon” period.
Answer:
A diagnosis of diabetes should not be made using a home glucometer. Testing is available at her physician’s office which can help with the diagnosis. You can find more information about normal blood sugar levels at Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes. Rather than seeking a second consultation, I would encourage her to be aware of the signs of diabetes. She should read Symptoms of Diabetes. She should clearly watch for them, in addition to any further testing that her physician may recommend.
MSB
