June 19, 2002
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Toms River, New Jersey, USA:
Recently, my 10 year old son has been extremely irritable with bouts of crying. He has been complaining of stomach aches and pain in his eyes, so he was put on Zantac for the stomach pain. He has been seen by other doctors who tell me that he is suffering from anxiety. However, he had a blood sugar of 55 mg/dl [3.1 mmol/L], his doctor told me that this is a low result but did not tell me to do anything other then to give him snacks before he goes out to play. I am worried that maybe they might be missing a problem that is right in front of them. Is a blood glucose level of 55 mg/dl [3.1 mmol/L] a problem that should be investigated?
Answer:
A normal blood sugar typically ranges from 65-110 mg/dl [3.6-6.1 mmol/L]. A blood sugar of 55 mg/dl [3.1 mmol/L] is a little low and could be contributing to his irritability. I would suggest reviewing this with your pediatrician and following their advice. If you have questions or concerns about the advice given, I would recommend making your doctor aware of your concerns.
MSB
