
March 28, 2002
Hyperglycemia and DKA
Question from North Hills, California, USA:
My three and a half year old granddaughter was diagnosed with type�1 diabetes about two and a half months ago, and her sugar levels have been running in 400s [mg/dl, 22.2 mmol/L]. What are the long term effects of her high blood sugar?
Answer:
Long term chronic complications of diabetes are strongly linked to blood sugar control (which is best judged by a hemoglobin A1c test). If it is not acceptable, it should be decreased in order to assure her normal pubertal development and a normal life without chronic complications.
I suggest that you have your granddaughter’s parents contact the closest pediatric diabetes team for evaluation and follow-up, if she isn’t followed by one. If she is, her parents need to be in daily communication with their team until control is improved.
MS