
April 4, 2000
Other Illnesses
Question from Langley, British Columbia, Canada:
Our 4-year old daughter has been a Type 1 diabetic since 13 months of age. At time of diagnosis she was very ill. Since diagnosis she has had one hypoglycemic episode with seizures (less than 1 minute in duration) and averages 2-4 lows a week (i.e., 2.0 – 4.0). On average, her sugars tend to average on the high side (A1c between 10-11). Recently we have noticed a hearing loss in her in conjunction with a very “loud” voice. Could the diabetes have anything to do with the hearing loss?
Answer:
No. I would guess that she has ‘glue ear’ — a common, and easily managed, condition in children associated with sticky mucus in the middle ear which depresses hearing. See your doctor.
KJR