September 12, 2005
Diagnosis and Symptoms, Other
Question from Hartsville, Tennessee, USA:
My five year old son has been battling huge boils on his bottom. He now has the fourth one within two months, this last one, the largest. His teacher called me to say he is falling asleep in class, acting tired a lot, so she was concerned. I took him to general practitioner. Blood work was done and his blood sugar level was 138 mg/dl [7.7 mmol/L]. The next morning, his fasting blood sugar was 95 mg/dl [5.3 mmol/L] done by a finger prick. Why it was so high the day before? Why is he getting boils? He is missing a lot of school because he can’t sit down. Please, can you help me understand what is going on with my son? He doesn’t eat well, is always tired, and his teeth have already needed six caps put on due to cavities. I’m not sure where to go from here.
Answer:
First, blood sugars can fluctuate or change from day to day and from minute to minute. If you are suspecting diabetes, it will be important for your family doctor to check fasting blood sugars and to check for other signs of diabetes on a routine basis.
Next, skin problems can be from any number of reasons. I would suggest having a dermatologist (skin doctor) look more closely at the cause of the boils. It may require medication or even changing the type of bath soap to clear up the source of the problem.
Finally, nutrition can play a big role in several of the concerns you have: skin, teeth, energy level. You might check with a dietitian to evaluate what things in your child’s diet could be changed to improve his overall health.
BS
