May 5, 2002
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Salem, New Hampshire, USA:
My niece has type 1 diabetes, and during the last two months my seven year old daughter has had elevated sugar levels (178-249 mg/dl [9.9-13.8 mmol/L]) on my niece’s meter. My sister-in-law makes a habit of testing all the kids once in a while just to check, and she is very concerned.
I have told my daughter’s pediatrician about the sugar levels, he has tested her urine in the office, checked her levels with his machine, and they were within the normal range so he doesn’t feel more testing is needed. However, my sister-in-law insists that I demand the fasting test and possibly get a glucose machine to check the levels on a regular basis. Please advise; I’m not sure how far I should push for the tests.
I would hate to see my daughter get as sick as my niece got before she was diagnosed. My daughter has not lost any weight, her thirst is about the same as it always been. She doesn’t always have good coloring, at times she is very pale, she frequently complains that her private hurts, and is always very red down there, she also complains the her legs hurt. How far should I go with the testing? Is my sister-in-law overreacting? Should I be concerned?
Answer:
I disagree with global testing of the children in the home. I would seek advice from your daughter’s pediatrician. If you’ve developed a relationship with him and trust him, than I would rely upon that advice. I understand your sister-in-law’s concerns, and perhaps her concerns can be addressed by taking her with you when you visit with the pediatrician.
MSB
[Editor’s comment: Testing for diabetes should include blood sugar levels performed by a medical laboratory, as home glucose meters are not considered reliable enough for this purpose. Other tests, such as the glycosylated hemoglobin, might be used to help confirm a suspected diagnosis of diabetes, but the GHB (also called HbA1c or A1c) is not usually considered as appropriate to make an initial diagnosis. Antibody testing is occasionally done as a screening test in high-risk situations, or as confirmatory of type 1A (autoimmune) diabetes, but is not part of routine testing.
WWQ]
