March 27, 2002
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Wichita, Kansas, USA:
About once a month, my 10 year old son gets up in the morning with a stomachache, and his hands are a little shaky. He eats a piece of toast or some yogurt while laying down, and after a few minutes he will vomit several times. He will lay back down and take a nap for 30 minutes to an hour, then eat a regular meal and he is okay for the day. We watch what he eats and generally give him something to eat before he goes to bed (e.g., peanut butter on whole wheat) before bed, but sometimes he still has the episode. We a currently set up for a fasting blood sugar test. Which type of diabetes do these symptoms represent?
Answer:
This is unlikely to represent diabetes. I suspect that your physician may be suspicious of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar not diabetes.
MSB
[Editor’s comment: See symptoms of diabetes, and Other causes of hypoglycemia.
SS]
