Elevated blood sugar in children is a serious signal from the body about the possible development of any disturbances in the endocrine system, so such manifestations should be carefully studied. Blood tests for the quantitative sugar content should exclude or confirm the presence of a threatening pathology in the child, because childhood diabetes is a dangerous disease that requires constant monitoring and proper treatment.
The role of glucose in the blood
Glucose in the body is a unit that takes part in the construction of the main polysaccharides (starch, glycogen, cellulose). In this case, glucose is part of lactose, sucrose and maltose. It is very quickly absorbed from the gastrointestinal system and almost immediately begins to participate in the activity of organs in which it is oxidized and converted to adenosine triphosphoric acid. It is in this form that glucose becomes the main energy supplier.
However, the blood sugar level depends on the activity of the hormonal system, and any disturbances harm the whole body. In situations where blood sugar levels exceed the permissible norm, you need to think about following a special diet.
The danger of increased sugar in the body
Disorders of glucose metabolism are dangerous in that they can provoke acute diabetes. When the sugar level begins to increase rapidly, it can lead to loss of consciousness and even death. An increased norm of sugar in the blood can provoke atherosclerosis of blood vessels and cause heart pathologies. In addition, an increase in glucose in the body causes complete or partial loss of vision, renal failure, gangrene of the limbs.
Such medical complications are called diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic coma. However, if you follow the doctor’s recommendations, you can keep your sugar level under control. That is why, when symptoms of high blood sugar in children appear, it is necessary to undergo appropriate diagnostics and prescribe adequate therapy.
Causes of increased glucose in children
An increase in glucose in the body of a child does not always indicate the development of pathology. Often, sugar counts are incorrect, because children are not properly prepared for testing before testing for diabetes (for example, they eat food on the eve of blood sampling).
As an answer to the question why the child has high blood sugar, there are reasons such as:
- psycho-emotional overstrain;
- stress
- the appearance of injuries and burns;
- high temperature for infectious diseases;
- prolonged use of non-steroidal drugs;
- pain syndrome.
In addition, serious pathologies of internal organs can become the causes of an increase in blood sugar in a child:
- violations in the work of the adrenal glands and the pituitary gland;
- overweight;
- neoplasms.
A hormone called insulin, which is produced exclusively by the pancreas, can lower sugar levels. When a small patient is overweight, the pancreas begins to work hard. As a result, its resources are gradually depleted, pathologies are formed.
A sign of high blood sugar in a child may be a persistently present glucose value of more than 6 mmol / L. Moreover, the clinical manifestations of the disease themselves may vary.
Symptoms of the development of pathology
Symptoms of high blood sugar in children, leading to the development of a formidable disease, are:
- feeling of constant thirst;
- frequent urination
- constant feeling of hunger;
- weight loss;
- visual impairment;
- weakness and lethargy;
- fast fatiguability;
- in girls - frequent occurrence of candidiasis (thrush).
Often the child does not understand what is happening to him, and for a long time does not attach importance to the developing symptoms. Therefore, it is very important that parents pay special attention to signs of increased blood sugar in children. A glucometer will help control glucose levels.
What happens in the body
In children with diabetes, with a high glucose content in the body, some dehydration of the internal organs occurs. The body, trying to dilute the blood, takes fluid from the cells of all tissues, which is why the child constantly wants to drink. Thus, an increase in blood sugar in children affects the urinary system, since the liquid consumed in large quantities must be removed. Frequent urge to urinate should attract the attention of parents and teachers, because the child is forced to leave the toilet during classes.
Constant dehydration of the body negatively affects vision, since in this case the lenses of the eyes are affected first. This leads to visual impairment and a sensation of fog in the eyes.
Over time, the body loses its ability to use glucose as an energy source and begins to burn fats. In such cases, the child rapidly loses weight.
In addition, parents should pay attention to the constant weakness that appears due to lack of insulin. As a result, glucose is not able to transform into the necessary energy.
An increase in blood sugar in children leads to the fact that the body is not able to saturate and absorb food normally. Therefore, patients suffering from diabetes are more likely to experience a constant feeling of hunger. But if the appetite is reduced, then this may indicate a diabetic ketoacidosis.
How is diabetic ketoacidosis manifested?
Diabetic ketoacidosis is an acute complication of diabetes mellitus that can be fatal. Its main features are:
- nausea;
- rapid breathing;
- smell of acetone from the mouth;
- weakness;
- pain in the abdomen.
If the necessary measures are not taken in a timely manner, then very soon the child can lose consciousness, fall into a coma and die in a short period of time. Knowing how to treat high blood sugar, you can prevent the development of such conditions. Therefore, diabetes symptoms cannot be ignored.
Dangerous conditions of the body: blood sugar is elevated
Increased insulin in the body - what to do? In the cells of the pancreas, two antagonist hormones are produced - insulin and glucagon. With an increase in blood sugar, insulin promotes its penetration into the cells, and the excess seeks to reserve in the liver (in the form of glycogen). With a lack of glucose, glucagon prevents the production of glycogen and begins to actively process it back into glucose. Thus, with the proper functioning of the pancreas, the level of glucose in the blood is constantly monitored.
In addition, insulin helps glucose to be converted into energy. If the blood sugar level rises, and insulin is not enough for its processing, then this disrupts the entire body. Improper nutrition of a child with high blood sugar leads to the development of diabetes.
But excess insulin is also a bad symptom, indicating the development of disorders in the body. It causes fat deposition in connective tissues and stimulates the accumulation of glycogen in the liver. This is due to the development of insulin resistance - a condition in which cells do not respond to the usual effects of the hormone. As a result, they become insulin resistant and cannot use it effectively. This causes hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes.
Autoimmune pathologies that make it impossible for the pancreas to produce insulin can become mechanisms for impaired glucose uptake in the child's body. This leads to the fact that glucose is not able to penetrate into the cells, since insulin receptors are not involved. A decrease in the sensitivity of insulin receptors may occur due to its increased content in the blood. As a result, glucose access to cells becomes impossible.
In any of these conditions, medical supervision and medical treatment are required.
Suspected diabetes tests
The amount of glucose in the blood is determined when the material is taken under medical conditions from a vein or finger. You can independently determine its level in the body using a glucometer. To find out if the blood sugar is high in an infant or not, blood can be taken from a toe or heel.
Analyzes should be taken in the morning before eating. Before testing, the child should not eat for 10 hours. It is also undesirable to drink a lot. To get the most accurate result, the subject should be calm and not physically tired. The child’s blood sugar level depends on his physical condition and age.
What else is elevated sugar
A blood glucose level in the range of 6.1-6.9 mmol / L is considered prediabetes. Type 1 or type 2 diabetes is diagnosed at higher rates. Nevertheless, prediabetes is a signal of the body about a disturbance in the functioning of its systems, and if timely measures are not taken, this condition will smoothly turn into diabetes.
When in search of an answer to the question why a child has high blood sugar, doctors diagnose prediabetes, it is necessary to understand the seriousness of this process. Normally, blood sugar in a healthy person does not exceed a value of 5.5 mmol / L. Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes develop slowly and, unlike type 1 diabetes, can have sluggish symptoms. Therefore, exceeding this limit already requires increased attention from both the doctor and the patient’s parents.
What diseases can trigger an increase in sugar in the body
In healthy people, the body is able to maintain normal sugar levels, even with serious increased loads. However, with violations in nutrition and an unhealthy lifestyle, the safety margin disappears. In this case, the level of glucose in the blood will increase with the development of:
- infectious diseases;
- pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas);
- pancreatic neoplasms (benign or malignant);
- hormonal disorders.
In addition, stress can be the culprit in increasing glucose levels.
Treatment in children
Most often, therapy for increasing sugar in the body of a child consists of several stages. This is first of all:
- taking medications prescribed by a doctor;
- daily sugar control;
- adherence to a special diet.
Limit your intake of high-calorie foods and foods containing carbohydrates. Sweets and confectionery contained in the patient's diet must be replaced with steamed vegetables, low-fat meats and fish, berries and sour fruits.
We must not forget about physical activity. A child whose prediabetes is found needs to walk and play a lot in the fresh air. A patient with suspected similar conditions should adhere to a certain meal regimen. It is very important to drink plenty of clean drinking water.
Glucose Prevention
Increased blood sugar, prediabetes or diabetes - this is not a sentence for a child. Such violations do not make him disabled and leave the opportunity to live normally and fully. The main conditions to be followed in this condition:
- monitor blood glucose levels;
- stick to low carb diets;
- Follow all doctor's recommendations.
In addition, it is advisable for parents to keep a diary of the child’s nutrition, and if unusual behavior occurs, measure the sugar level with a glucometer.