November 14, 2002
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA:
At her annual health exam, the doctor found high levels of sugar in my eight year old daughter’s urine, but an in the office blood test found the blood sugar level to be normal. At this time, she is not underweight and does not seem to suffer from excessive thirst, excessive urination, blurry sight, or any of the classic symptoms. The doctor sounded pretty concerned, and of course so am I. I understand there is no such thing as a “borderline diabetes”, but I am wondering if I should immediately start her on a sugar and carbohydrate-free diet in an attempt to stave off diabetes. Do you think the chances are high she has diabetes and is just in the initial stages? At this time, she is not underweight and does not seem to suffer from any of the classic symptoms.
Answer:
The random blood glucose result was normal. Of course, there should not be sugar in the urine, but some people have a low threshold so further investigation is necessary. One thing to be aware of is that out of date testing strips can be responsible for false results. I would not alter your daughter’s diet until a diagnosis has been made, but it is good general practice to avoid sugary drinks and excessive sweets.
KJR
