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Kids Blood Sugar Count

A kid's job is to have fun, play and go to school. Kids with diabetes have the additional responsibility of learning about blood sugar counts--what's normal, what's not and how to regulate their levels. Part of the job of the JDRF--Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation--is to teach kids about blood sugar in simple ways that they will understand.

  1. Normal Counts

    • According to the JDRF, a normal blood sugar count for a child ranges from 75 to 165 mg per deciliter (mg/dL). Kids of different ages and states of health will fall at different points on this scale, all of which is considered normal (see Resources below).

    High Counts

    • Hyperglycemia is the word used to describe blood sugar levels that are too high. A child's blood sugar count is too high when it reaches more than 165 mg/dL.

    Low Counts

    • A blood sugar count that falls below 75 mg/dL is called hypoglycemia. Dangerously low levels of 50 mg/dL and under warrant a phone call to the doctor.

    Symptoms

    • When a child's blood glucose levels are too high, she may be excessively thirsty and experience queasiness and irritability. Low levels of blood sugar can induce a feeling of shakiness or overall weakness. Both conditions can made a child feel tired.

    Action

    • When readings come back too high, give the child water to drink and a dose of insulin if he is insulin-dependent. A small, carbohydrate-laden snack can help bring low blood sugar levels back to the normal range.

    Regulation

    • Checking blood sugar levels with a meter and test strips as directed by the child's pediatrician is an important step to regulating the symptoms of diabetes.

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