May 27, 2001
Complications
Question from Chelsea, Oklahoma, USA:
For the past six months, my 11 year old son, who has had type 1 diabetes for three years and currently uses an insulin pump, has been experiencing electrical shock sensations in his shoulders, arms and fingers. He says it hurts, his fingers stick together, and he can’t pull them apart. Until the “shock” feeling ends. What could this be? Is related to his diabetes? Do we need to have this evaluated?
Answer:
This could be diabetic neuropathy and needs to be investigated. Please discuss this with your son’s diabetes team and consider having an expert in diabetes-related nerve problems assist in working out a differential diagnosis and ways to see if any other problems (such as thyroid, adrenal, celiac disease, vitamin B12 or folic acid problems) might be related.
SB
