Is 76 Blood Sugar Too Low

How Is Hypoglycemia Treated In A Child

Treatment will depend on your childs symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is.

For children with diabetes, the goal of treatment is to maintain a safe blood glucose level. This is done by:

• Testing blood glucose often

• Learning to recognize symptoms

• Treating the condition quickly

To treat low blood glucose quickly, your child should eat or drink something with sugar such as:

Dont use carbohydrate foods high in protein such as milk or nuts. They may increase the insulin response to dietary carbohydrates.

Blood glucose levels should be checked every 15 to 20 minutes until they are above 100 dg/dL.

If hypoglycemia is severe, your child may need a glucagon injection. Talk with your childs healthcare team about this treatment.

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What Are The Complications Of Low Blood Glucose

Mild-to-moderate low blood glucose can be easily treated. But severely low blood glucose can cause serious complications, including passing out, coma, or death.

Repeated episodes of low blood glucose can lead to

• high blood glucose levels, if worry or fear of low blood glucose keeps you from taking the medicines you need to manage your diabetes8
• hypoglycemia unawareness, a condition in which you dont notice any symptoms of low blood glucose until your blood glucose level has dropped very low

Recognizing Low Blood Sugar

Individuals who have been diagnosed with diabetes learn to monitor their blood sugar levels closely. When blood sugar drops below normal levels, they learn to recognize the signs, such as dizziness or nausea. Diabetics often have a glucometer to determine if low blood sugar is the cause. Test strips can also determine if blood sugar levels have dropped too low. They can then take measures to raise their blood sugar to a normal range.

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High Blood Sugar Level Causes

Several types of diabetes and medical conditions are the primary cause of high blood sugar levels. Most of which are unpreventable issues but are the reason for a spike in high blood sugar. The causes for high blood sugar levels are as follows:

Causes of low blood sugar levels are very different and are as important to be aware of, as they are in fact easier to control.

Dont Drive When You Have Low Blood Sugar

It’s dangerous. If you’re driving and you have hypoglycemia symptoms, pull off the road, check your blood sugar, and eat a sugary food. Wait at least 15 minutes, check your blood sugar, and repeat these steps if needed. Eat a protein and carbohydrate source before you drive on. Be prepared. Keep a sugar source, such as glucose tablets, in your car at all times for emergencies.

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Possible Causes Without Diabetes

Even if you dont have diabetes, you may experience low blood sugar. However, hypoglycemia is much less common in people without diabetes.

Some possible causes of low blood sugar in people who dont have diabetes are:

• certain medications, such as quinine
• some medical conditions, such as hepatitis and kidney disorders
• a tumor that produces excess insulin
• endocrine disorders, such as adrenal gland deficiency

How Can I Prevent Insulin

• Check your blood sugar regularly.
• Know what causes low blood sugar.
• Eat at regular mealtimes. Do not delay or skip meals and do not eat partial meals.
• Take all medicines exactly as prescribed.
• Check your blood sugar more often when you are exercising more or eating less, or when you are sick, according to your healthcare provider’s recommendations.
• Keep your follow-up appointments with your provider.

Developed by RelayHealth.Published by RelayHealth.This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.© 2018 RelayHealth and/or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

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Causes Of Reactive Hypoglycemia

The answer isnât always clear. Itâs likely the result of your body making too much insulin after a large, carb-heavy meal. Scientists arenât sure why, but sometimes your body continues to release extra insulin even after youâve digested your meal. This added insulin makes your blood glucose level drop below normal.

Reactive hypoglycemia can also result from tumors, alcohol, surgeries — like gastric bypass or ulcer treatment — and possibly some metabolic diseases. Itâs more common if youâre overweight.

Check Your Blood Sugar Often

Talk with your provider about when you should check your blood sugar every day. People who have low blood sugar need to check their blood sugar more often.

The most common causes of low blood sugar are:

• Taking your insulin or diabetes medicine at the wrong time
• Taking too much insulin or diabetes medicine
• Taking insulin to correct high blood sugar without eating any food
• Not eating enough during meals or snacks after you have taken insulin or diabetes medicine
• Waiting too long after taking your medicine to eat your meals
• Exercising a lot or at a time that is unusual for you
• Not checking your blood sugar or not adjusting your insulin dose before exercising
• Drinking alcohol

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What Factors Affect Blood Sugar

You can guess that carbohydrate intake and insulin production are at least partly responsible for your blood sugar levels. But the list is much longer — almost every lifestyle choice you make can affect your blood sugar. Here’s just a partial list.

• Exercise can affect insulin sensitivity, leading to lower blood sugar for up to 48 hours.
• Alcohol intake increases insulin production, causing low blood sugar.
• Stress hormones like cortisol can raise blood sugar, because your body wants access to energy in order to escape what it perceives as a dangerous situation.
• Medications, especially statins and diuretics, can raise blood sugar. Statins are used to treat cholesterol, and diuretics for high blood pressure.
• Diet is a major player in blood sugar. Eating too many simple carbs at once can cause levels to skyrocket, while protein intake leads to a slower increase in blood sugar.
• Dehydration raises blood sugar, because with less water in your body the glucose concentration will be higher.

Other surprising factors can affect your blood sugar, like a sunburn or gum disease, so if you’re dealing with a blood sugar issue and can’t figure out what’s causing your spikes and dips, talk to a healthcare professional.

Signs And Symptoms Of Hypoglycemia

The good news is that you can use test strips or a continuous glucose monitor to measure your blood sugar levels, past research establishes. Its important to know that some people can feel symptoms of low blood glucose even if the blood sugar is normal, called pseudohypoglycemia. On the flip side, some mild cases of low blood sugar may not cause any symptoms at all. This is where regular at-home testing becomes important if you have diabetes, especially if you have type 1 diabetes, as established by previous research.

One of the first physical symptoms of hypoglycemia is hunger. At first, you might pass this off as being hangry if you have other symptoms like irritability from not eating in a while. But aside from hunger and irritability, the Mayo Clinic outlines other early signs of hypoglycemia, such as:

• Shakiness, which is especially noticeable in your hands
• Concentration difficulties
• Increased heart rate

In more severe or prolonged hypoglycemia, loss of consciousness and seizure are also possible.

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Causes And Risk Factors Of Hypoglycemia

• How Hypoglycemia Is Diagnosed

Hypoglycemia occurs when your blood sugar levels are less than or equal to 70 mg/dL and certain symptoms are present. It can be caused by a number of factors, depending on whether or not you also have diabetes.

Verywell / Theresa Chiechi

Here’s what you need to know about the causes and risk factors of hypoglycemia:

Examples Of Easily Digestible Carbohydrates

• 1/2 cup of juice or regular soda
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 4 or 5 saltine crackers
• 3 or 4 pieces of hard candy or glucose tablets
• 1 tablespoon of sugar

Very low blood sugar is a medical emergency. If you or someone else with diabetes is experiencing severe symptoms, such as unconsciousness, its important to administer a medication called glucagon and contact emergency services immediately.

If youre at risk for low blood sugar, its important to talk with your doctor about getting a prescription for glucagon.

You should never give an unconscious person anything by mouth, as it could cause them to choke. If you have diabetes, make sure your family and friends know not to do this if you lose consciousness.

Low blood sugar can occur for a number of reasons. Its usually a side effect of diabetes treatment.

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Key Points About Hypoglycemia In Children

• Hypoglycemia occurs when the blood glucose is too low to fuel the brain and the body.

• It may be a condition by itself, or may be a complication of diabetes or another disorder.

• To treat low blood glucose right away, your child should eat or drink something with sugar, such as orange juice, milk, cake icing, or a hard candy. They should follow with food with complex carbohydrates, fat, and protein, such as a peanut butter sandwich on whole-grain bread.

• Severe or long-lasting hypoglycemia may result in seizures and serious brain injury.

How Are Low Blood Sugar Levels Treated

When blood sugar levels are low, the goal is to get them back up quickly. Most kids who have low blood sugar need to:

• eat, drink, or take something that contains sugar that can get into the blood quickly. Your mom or dad may give you really sugary foods or drinks, like regular soda, orange juice, cake frosting, glucose tablets, or glucose gel
• wait about 10 minutes to let the sugar work
• recheck their blood sugar levels with a blood glucose meter to see if the levels are back to normal

Sometimes, blood sugar levels can get very low and you might not feel well enough or be awake enough to eat or drink something sugary. When this happens, kids need to get a glucagon shot. Glucagon is a hormone that helps get your blood sugar level back to normal very quickly. Your doctor and diabetes health care team can tell you if you need to keep these shots on hand and will help you and your parents understand when it’s necessary to use one.

Your parents and other grown-ups who take care of you should know how to give glucagon shots. If you don’t have a glucagon shot or the person you’re with doesn’t know how to use one someone should call 911.

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Things To Know About Hypoglycemia Unawareness

Sometimes hypoglycemia may even occur in your sleep, causing nightmares and sweating. Previous research published in Diabetes Care has also indicated that people with type 1 diabetes may have an increased risk of hypoglycemic-related cardiac arrest during sleep.

For people with type 2 diabetes, its possible to experience hypoglycemia after eating a large, carbohydrate-heavy meal due to higher levels of insulin circulating in the body, Dodell adds.

Your risk for hypoglycemia depends on your health and how well youre managing your blood sugar.

Aside from any possible diabetes medication side effects, the Mayo Clinic notes that your blood sugar levels may decrease as a result of:

• Skipping regular meals

Low Blood Sugar Level Causes

Most low blood sugar level causes are preventable and are caused due to a persons lifestyle and diet habits. Low blood sugar is common among diabetic patients who take medications to increase insulin levels.

All of the above causes are risk factors that may or may not be able to be inhibited. They are important to be aware of and act accordingly to keep yourself from getting a too high or too low blood sugar level.

If a person has medical, lifestyle or diet habits that cause irregular blood sugar levels, symptoms will begin to develop along with the drop or spike in blood sugar, and are as follows:

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How Do I Check My Blood Sugar

Checking your blood sugar is simple and can be done at home with the right equipment. The most traditional and effective way of doing so is with a glucose meter. You wash your hands to wash away germs, prick your finger with a needle, apply the blood from the pricked finger to a test strip and insert it into the machine. Your blood sugar level will appear on the meters display. Alternatively, there are a few modern methods that have been developed. They show results but are considered not to be as accurate as glucose meters.

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High levels ofRandom blood glucose in the blood indicate a variety of health problems. If your bloodRandom blood glucose level is between70 mg/dl and140 mg/dl, you probably do not have an underlying healthproblem. But ifRandom blood glucose levels are not in this range, you should see a doctor immediately.

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A1c Goals Should Be Individualized

A1c goals should be individualized based on the individual capabilities, risks, and prior experiences, explains Gary Scheiner, MS, CDE, founder of Integrated Diabetes, and author of Think Like a Pancreas.

For example, we generally aim for very tight A1c levels during pregnancy and more conservative targets in young children and the elderly.

However, Scheiner highlights important factors that could justify aiming for a higher A1c, like hypoglycemia unawareness, which is described as when a person with diabetes no longer feels the oncoming warning signs of low blood sugar. This can put you at significant risk for severe low blood sugars resulting in seizures or death. To reduce that risk, you would aim for higher target blood sugar ranges.

Someone with significant hypoglycemia unawareness and a history of severe lows should target higher blood glucose levels than someone who can detect and manage their lows more effectively, adds Scheiner. And certainly, someone who has been running A1cs in double digits for quite some time should not be targeting an A1c of 6% better to set modest, realistic, achievable goals.

Blood Sugar Levels What S Normal What S Not And How To Measure

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How Do I Treat Low Blood Glucose

If you begin to feel one or more symptoms of low blood glucose, check your blood glucose level. If your blood glucose level is below your target or less than 70 mg/dL, follow these steps

Talk To Your Doctor Or Nurse

If you use insulin and your blood sugar is frequently or consistently low, ask your doctor or nurse if you:

• Are injecting your insulin the right way
• Need a different type of needle
• Should change how much insulin you take
• Should change the kind of insulin you take

Do not make any changes without talking to your doctor or nurse first.

Sometimes hypoglycemia can be due to accidently taking the wrong medicines. Check your medicines with your pharmacist.

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