
June 26, 2000
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Burlington, Ontario, Canada:
I have a lovely 5 year old boy who at certain times of the day cannot control his behaviour, is prone to temper tantrums at absolutely nothing and can get quite violent, hitting and punching, etc. 99% of the time he is wonderful. His caregivers and myself have been wondering if this can be a symptom of low blood sugar. He does not have a lot of sugar in his diet.
Answer:
Although the symptoms you describe can be due to low blood sugar, it is much more likely to represent a potential early behavior problem. Your pediatrician can help direct you to appropriate resources for helping to redirect your son’s behavior and manage his anger more positively.
MSB