Hypoglycemia is a condition in which the blood level of sugar is lower than required in the human body. Hypoglycemia sometimes happens in people who are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. A blood glucose levels of less than 70 mg/dl is termed as hypoglycemia in a type 1 diabetes child and needs urgent action. Unconsciousness or seizures at the time of hypoglycemia is termed as “severe hypoglycemia”.
How to Recognise Hypoglycemia:
Hypoglycemia can be dangerous in children. It is highly advisable for the child and parents to recognise the early symptoms of hypoglycemia. There are given many symptoms which can vary in different children, that are indicators for the parents to get to know the condition of hypoglycemia in children quickly:
- Headache
- Weakness
- Hunger
- Irritable behaviour
- Increased sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Fast heart rate
- Crying without reason
- Pale skin colour
- Lower attention span
- Dizziness or imbalance in movements
Cause of Hypoglycemia:
There are many situations which can lead to the development of hypoglycemia in children. Here are those things which can lead to hypoglycemia condition in children:
- Skipping meals
- Not eating enough food for the amount of insulin given
- On days of extra physical activity
- Taking too much insulin accidentally
Hypoglycemia is a serious problem due to below-mentioned reasons:
In a human body, glucose is used as energy by every organ and cell. Glucose works as a fuel for our cells and organs, and the brain essentially requires an optimal level of glucose to function correctly.
Whenever the level of sugar in the blood drops, a child’s brain may not get enough energy, and he/she can have severe complications like
- Seizures
- Impairment of judgement
- Unconsciousness
Hypoglycemia can be prevented by giving the right dose of medication and proper care to your children. A proper watch on your child’s eating habits and playing activities can make you aware of the presence of hypoglycemia in your child’s body, and you can cure it by taking proper advice from experts on time.
Your child will be advised to take an emergency medication known as glucagon. Glucagon is known for the immediate relief from severe hypoglycemia.
What to Do when your child has hypoglycemia?
Always take advice from your healthcare provider to get more clarity about the sugar requirements of your child. Keep track of the blood glucose readings of your child daily.
According to the American Diabetes Association, there are certain limits for sugar consumption during hypoglycemia for different sets of age-groups:
- Infants need 6 grams of sugar
- toddlers need 8 grams of sugar
- small children need 10 grams of sugar
- older children and teenagers need 15 grams of sugar, the same as the recommendation for adults
You can use rapidly absorbing sugary items to your child to give on-the-spot relief from the low level of sugar like
- Sugar
- Glucon-D
- Juice
It is necessary to check the blood glucose level after 15 minutes of consuming rapidly absorbing carbs, to ensure that hypoglycemia has been corrected and for normalisation of blood glucose level.
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