March 9, 2001
Diagnosis and Symptoms, Hypoglycemia
Question from Orlando, Florida, USA:
My seven year old son frequently turns into a “terror” particularly when he comes home from school and eats a sweet for a snack. His behavior stays consistent when we feed him snacks of crackers and peanut butter, crackers and cheese, or yogurt. He also insists on water as soon as he gets home and then drinks frequently throughout the afternoon. I am concerned my son’s behavior may be the result of hypoglycemia, but not I am sure what to do at this point. Our pediatrician seems to believe the protein and carbs will do the trick and he will not test him for anything, but I see his behavior becoming more extreme. What do you suggest?
Answer:
Your son’s behaviour may be the result of hypoglycemia, but it can be difficult to tell as behaviour problems can sometimes mimic hypoglycaemia. It is important to have this checked out so it would be worth having him seen by the endocrinologist who can order appropriate testing. However, it may be nothing to do with hypos but may be purely a behavioural problem. The excessive drinking doesn’t fit, so it would definitely be worth checking this problem out.
JS
