Diabetes In Children: Checking Blood Sugar In A Child: Why Should Blood Sugar Be Monitored

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Why should blood sugar be monitored?

Testing your child's blood sugar at home will help you know:

• When your child's blood sugar is low. Low blood sugar can lead to an emergency situation. If your child's blood sugar drops just below the safe range and he or she quickly eats something containing sugar, the blood sugar will rise and may prevent an emergency.
• When your child's blood sugar is high. Over time, high blood sugar levels cause permanent damage to the eyes, heart, kidneys, blood vessels, and nerves. Having diabetes at a young age increases your child's risk for these complications during young adulthood. Keeping blood sugar levels within a safe range decreases the risk of complications.
• What your child's blood sugar level is before a meal. If your child takes short-acting insulin, you can use these blood-sugar results to determine how much insulin to give.
• How exercise affects your child's blood sugar. Exercise usually lowers blood sugar levels.
• What your child's blood sugar is when he or she is sick. Severe illness or stress usually causes higher-than-normal blood sugar levels.
• When your child's insulin or oral medicine for diabetes may need to be adjusted. If your child's blood sugar levels remain high over a period of time or your child has frequent low blood sugar, his or her medicine may need to be adjusted. Talk with your doctor about this.

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Last updated:	January 30, 2007
Author:	Monica Rhodes
Reviewed By:	Ruth Schneider, MPH, RD - Diet and Nutrition, Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Diabetes Educator
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC