Type 1 Diabetes, Glucose Out of Control: How to Care for Your Child

Your child's health care provider is concerned that your child's blood sugar levels have been running higher or lower than they should be. When blood sugar levels get out of control in a child with type 1 diabetes, it's important to figure out why and to bring them back to healthy levels. Sometimes blood sugar levels get out of control if a child is under stress from having an infection or being emotionally upset. To protect your child's health, it's important to keep blood sugar under control every day. 

• Check blood glucose levels several times a day. Change insulin doses, food, and exercise based on the readings.

• Make sure an adult watches when your child checks blood sugar levels or injects insulin.

• If your child has an insulin pump, check the pump and infusion catheter regularly to make sure they're working correctly.

• When your child is sick, check blood sugar levels more often. Also check your child's urine (pee) or blood for ketones as you were shown by the diabetes team.

• Talk with the diabetes team if your child has repeated episodes of poor blood sugar control without a clear cause.

• Your child's blood sugar levels often are high or low based on what the diabetes care team told you.

• Your child's testing showed ketones in the urine.

• Your child isn't eating or drinking as usual.

• Your child has vomiting or diarrhea.

Your child:

• has severe low blood sugar that doesn't go back up with home treatment

• has ongoing nausea, vomiting, or belly pain

• has fast deep breathing or trouble breathing

• appears dehydrated; signs include dizziness, drowsiness, a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, crying with few or no tears, dark pee, or peeing less often

What can cause uncontrolled glucose levels? Uncontrolled glucose levels can happen when your child:  

• skips insulin shots

• doesn't test blood glucose levels regularly

• eats too many or too few carbohydrates for the amount of insulin given

• doesn't change the diabetes treatment plan when there's a change in physical activity

• has mechanical problems with an insulin pump, if your child uses one

How can we know if our child's blood glucose has been out of control? A test can show if your child's glucose has been out of control. The hemoglobin test (HbA1C for short) gives information about blood glucose control in the 2 to 3 months before the test. This lets doctors know if the diabetes care plan needs changes.