Hyperglycemia in Children: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

In hyperglycemia, there is too much sugar or glucose in the blood. This results when the body cannot produce enough insulin to regulate the amount of glucose. When a child has diabetes and is receiving treatment, if he gets hyperglycemia it is a serious matter. In diabetic children, the symptoms of hyperglycemia need to be monitored and treated immediately.

Dry Mouth

• Dry mouth and throat is a symptom of elevated levels of sugar in the blood.

Thirst

• Feeling dehydrated is a main sign of hyperglycemia. With elevated sugar levels the body draws fluids from the tissues. This makes the child very thirsty.

Urination

• The child drinks a lot of water to quench her thirst and this leads to increased urination.

Fatigue

• Children become very tierd when they have hyperglycemia. The body uses glucose for energy and with hyperglycemia, the body has difficulty converting the glucose into fuel.

Blurred Vision

• Too much sugar in the system causes vision problems like blurriness. The excess sugar takes fluids from the aqueous humor of the eyes.

Coma

• A diabetic coma or ketoacidosis occurs when the hyperglycemia goes untreated. The body needs fuel so it breaks down fatty deposits which release ketones. These are waste materials. A coma happens when the body cannot remove all the ketones.