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Hypoglycemia or Metabolic Disorders in Children

Metabolism is the process where the body converts nutrients into energy or other products. Metabolic disorders are inherited conditions that cause disruption to the body's metabolism. Severe or prolonged hypoglycemia in children is quite often caused by one or more metabolic disorders.

  1. Hypoglycemia

    • Hypoglycemia occurs when the body's blood glucose level falls below 70 mg/dl (milligrams of glucose to deciliters of blood). It is caused by an over-production or overdose of insulin, excessive alcohol consumption, stress, strenuous exercise, a limited supply of the hormone glucagon, pancreatic tumors, mistakenly ingesting oral diabetes medication or a variety of severe illnesses and endocrine disorders.

    Transient Hypoglycemia in Newborns

    • A developing fetus stores glycogen to provide it with the necessary blood glucose immediately after birth. Premature, unusually small or growth restricted babies may not have enough glycogen stored and hypoglycemia results. Over-production of insulin in a diabetic mother, inadequate nutrition during pregnancy, severe hemolytic disease, congenital metabolic disease, liver disease, cold stress and asphyxia at birth may also cause hypoglycemia.

    Congenital Hyperinsulinism

    • Congenital Hyperinsulinism (HI) is a rare metabolic disorder and the most common cause of severe, persistent hypoglycemia in children and newborns. According to Congenital Hyperinsulinism International, it occurs in only 1 in 25,000 to 50,000 live births. (See Reference 2) The pancreas in HI babies is either partially or fully compromised resulting in an unstoppable flow of insulin into the body.

    Type I Diabetes

    • Type I diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, is a metabolic disorder that sets in during childhood. A diabetic's pancreas produces an insufficient supply of insulin. Hypoglycemia can occur in children with diabetes when they miss a meal or take too much insulin.

    Treatment

    • Hypoglycemia is treated by getting sugar into the body. Sugar can be ingested, injected or infused through an IV tube depending on the cause and severity of the episode. Common treatment for congenital hyperinsulinism is removal of some or all of the pancreas.

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