My 10 year old son had an astrocytoma removed from his cerebellum about six months ago, and received a lot of steroids. His blood and urine sugars were normal at that time. Now, six months later, prior to being started on Ritalin for his ADHD, his fasting glucose was 9.9 mmol/L [178.2 mg/dl]. His pediatrician has ordered a glucose tolerance test which has not been done yet. Could the stress of the 13 hour operation and the steroids have anything to do with this? Is there anything else that could cause his sugars to be up now? He is asymptomatic but very sad at this recent discovery. He has been through so much and was just getting back to normal and now this. He is wondering why everything happens to him. He just wants to be normal.

Since it has now been six months. I don’t think the previous operation, stress, and steroids treatment played a major role in your son’s current high blood sugar problem. However, a diagnosis of diabetes cannot be made on the basis on a single blood sugar value. Prior to any further speculation, and before an oral glucose tolerance test, a fasting blood sugar needs to be repeated with a urine examination, and an antibody test, if available, should be performed to confirm or exclude type 1A (autoimmune).

MS

[Editor’s comment: In addition, it appears that your son already has or is headed for some problems with depression. If he is currently seeing a mental health professional for his ADHD, I’d suggest you make an appointment for your son to discuss his feelings. If he doesn’t have a counsellor, please get a referral to one before he develops more problems in dealing with these issues.

SS]