March 6, 2005
Diagnosis and Symptoms, Other
Question from Ohio, USA:
My daughter had her eight year check up a week ago. She’s had some symptoms, which I did not know could be associated with diabetes until the visit. She had sugar in her urine, so they did a finger stick. She was only 89 mg/dl [4.9 mmol/L]. They did another and it was still low. They want her back in two weeks to re-test her urine. I don’t know if I’m comfortable not having other tests run. Are they doing the right thing? What could cause high sugar in urine but low in the blood?
Answer:
There are a couple of rare disorders that can cause sugar in the urine but a normal blood sugar. Sugar in the urine typically is because of unrecognized diabetes. You might wish to review our web page on Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes. It may also be time to do other formal blood testing. Make sure to follow your pediatrician’s advice about your daughter’s care. They are the best resource for helping to find the cause of sugar in her urine.
MSB
