September 17, 2002
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Perth, Western Australia:
I am 12 years old, and I don’t have diabetes, but I’ve checked my blood sugar on my sister’s meter, and it has been as high as 9-15 mmol/L [162-270 mg/dl]. Is that bad? Should I get checked by a doctor since I’ve heard that my blood sugar should be around 4-6 mmol/L [72-108 mg/dl]?
Answer:
Those sugars are clearly elevated. I would suggest discussing them with your physician as soon as possible. Please see Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes Guidelines for more information about the diagnosis of diabetes.
MSB
[Editor’s comment: Two or more elevated blood glucose values (measured on a laboratory machine, not a home meter) are sufficient to make a diagnosis of diabetes. Based on what you say, I agree with Dr. Brown that you should see a medical professional as soon as possible. This means in days, not weeks or months.
Be sure to show your parents this e-mail!
WWQ]