March 6, 2002
Other Illnesses
Question from Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada:
Last year, three days after my 10 year old was beaten by five kids, he started having seizures, and even though he was seen by two doctors already, they say I can’t prove it was from the fight. The tests that were done were not conclusive because he wasn’t relaxed enough. From what I described to them, they tell me this is childhood epilepsy. He started off with two to three seizures a month, but this past week, he’s had one a day, always at night just after he goes to sleep. Someone mentioned that it might be his sugar so had someone test it sugar level one night, and it was 3.4 mmol/L [61 mg/dl], which sounds low to me. Could this be his problem?
Answer:
I am not sure the problem is related to blood glucose readings. There may be reasons why you got that reading of 3.4 mmol/L [61 mg/dl]. A low blood glucose is extremely unusual as a new problem in an otherwise healthy 10 year old boy. It is worth talking this over with your doctor.
JS
[Editor’s comment: I suggest that you ask for a referral to a pediatric neurologist for some extensive testing. If this is epilepsy, it can be controlled with medication.
SS]
