Now two and a half years old, my daughter has lost a lot of weight in about a year. She eats and drinks well, waking up with very puffy eyelids every morning. I checked her blood sugar this morning and it was 6.4 mmol/L [115 mg/dl]. Is that high? I think she may have the flu. Could that be causing the elevated blood sugar? Normally, she is active and healthy. The puffy eyelids first appeared around two months ago. Could this be diabetes or an issue with her kidneys?

Your daughter’s fasting blood sugar level is a little over the upper limit for an healthy child but I think it may depend mostly on the glucometer you used to perform blood sugar level at home: double check it with also an urine exam at a laboratory after an overnight fast. Regarding the puffy eyelids, these are very sensitive and can easily become irritated, red and puffy, but don’t despair; it is easier to get rid of especially minor puffiness. Minor puffiness is the kind that you notice when you wake up, but is then reduced or eliminated by mid-morning as gravity drains the fluid that has accumulated throughout the night. Ask your pediatrician for further help.

MS

[Editor’s comment: See also the Symptoms of Diabetes and the Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes.

BH]