My son went for his annual physical examination. We did some blood work because his father had type 2 diabetes and his maternal grandmother has type 2 diabetes as well. His early morning urine glucose analysis was over 1000 (3+). His blood sugar was 126 mg/dl [7.0 mmol/L]. The doctor called me and I went to his office. There, he checked my son’s urine and it was negative. This was perplexing! So, he asked to repeat the fasting blood sugar and also do an A1c. The results came back: blood sugar 125 mg/dl [7.0 mmol/L], A1c 6.3 and T4 1.5. His pediatrician wants him to see an endocrinologist. But, we did not get an appointment yet. My son is very skinny. He does not eat sweets. He does not eat any fruits. He sweats a lot. He hates chocolate. What should I do? Should I start him on whole grain bread, vegetables etc?

I do not think that you should change his diet even one little bit at this time. Diabetes is not caused by “eating sweets, fruit, or chocolate.”

Several situations, unrelated to diabetes, can lead to a transient amount of glucose in the urine. Have there been changes in appetite or weight?

I doubt at all that your son has type 2 diabetes. That said, the glucose levels are a bit borderline and depending upon the specific method that the A1c was measured, that value was a bit higher than expected also.

Were the glucose levels you noted done from a stick from a vein and run in the laboratory? Or, were they analyzed on a small bedside glucose meter that gave an answer in just a few seconds? If the former, I would be concerned that your son indeed my have some glucose intolerance to a degree. If the latter, I might be less concerned. Sometimes, I will suggest a “poor man’s” glucose tolerance test: a fasting glucose level from a vein is drawn and sent to the laboratory. The child is then sent to eat a carbohydrate-loaded breakfast! Then, two hours after the first bite of breakfast, a second serum test from a vein is obtained and sent to the laboratory.

Please, please review this our Diabetes Basics page.Has your son had a change in bathroom and thirst habits such that he is urinating and drinking more? The referral to the endocrinologist may clear this up and reassure you or establish an important diagnosis and get proper things done. But, make NO changes without the input from your endocrinologist or pediatrician.

DS