Type 1 Diabetes: Children Living With the Disease
When To Call a Doctor
Call911or other emergency services immediately if your child is:
- Unconscious or becomes very sleepy unexpectedly. Your child may have low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia. While waiting for emergency help, follow:
- Drowsy, confused, breathing fast, and your child’s breath smells fruity or like nail polish. Your child may have high blood sugar, called hyperglycemia. A life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis could be present.
Call a doctor immediately if your child is vomiting, cannot keep down liquids, and has a blood sugar of 13.9 mmol/L or higher.
Call a doctor if your child:
- Is sick for more than 2 days (unless it is a mild illness, such as a cold), and your child:
- Has been vomiting or had diarrhea for more than 6 hours.
- Has followed the doctor's advice but it has not worked. Learn what to do when you are sick and have diabetes.
- Has blood sugar levels that are often above 13.9 mmol/L and urine tests for ketones show more than 2+ or moderate or higher ketones.
- Has a blood sugar level that stays below the target range after eating some quick-sugar food.
- Has a blood sugar level that stays high after taking a missed dose of insulin or taking an extra dose of insulin (if prescribed by the doctor).
- Has frequent problems with high or low blood sugar levels. The insulin dose or schedule may need to be changed.
- Is having difficulty knowing when blood sugar is low (hypoglycemia unawareness).
- Has problems following the meal plan or getting physical activity, and you want help.
Watchful Waiting
Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your health professional study your health without using medical treatment. Watchful waiting is not appropriate for a child with type 1 diabetes if blood sugar levels are frequently high or low. His or her treatment may need changing. Keeping your child's blood sugar levels within a normal or near-normal range helps prevent high blood sugar emergencies and long-term complications, such as eye, kidney, heart, blood vessel, and nerve damage.
Who To See
Ask your family doctor or general practitioner about treating a child with type 1 diabetes. You may be referred to a specialist, such as a:
- Pediatrician.
- Pediatric endocrinologist.
- Certified diabetes educator (CDE).
- Registered dietitian, to help develop a daily meal plan for your child and your family.
- Psychologist, to help with emotional or family issues that might affect your child's treatment.
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment
 Go to previous section |  Go to top of page |  Go to next section |
| Author: | Alison Allen Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: March 2, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Alan C. Dalkin, MD - Endocrinology Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine | |
 | ||
