How to Tell My Child's Blood Glucose Levels

If your child has diabetes, it is important to check her blood glucose levels at least four times throughout the day. If your child's insulin dose has been changed, she has shown symptoms of hypoglycemia or the child is sick or stressed, you should check her blood glucose levels even more often.

Things You'll Need

• Lancet
• Blood glucose meter
• Test strips
• Logbook

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash your hands well with soap and warm water.

• 2

  Prick the side of your child's finger with the tip of the lancet. (The tip of the finger is more sensitive and has a lower supply of blood.)

• 3

  Squeeze your child's finger gently so that a drop of blood comes out. Place this drop on the test strip.

• 4

  Place the test strip in the meter to obtain the glucose level reading.

• 5

  Interpret the reading to ensure that his numbers are within the normal range. When your child first wakes up in the morning, his levels should be in the 70-110 range. Before lunch, supper and bedtime, his levels should be in the 70-120 range. An hour after meals, they should be less than 140, and two hours after meals, they should be less than 120.

• 6

  Record the results in your logbook. This will be helpful to show your child's doctor or other professionals at checkups or if problems arise.