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Medical Advice >> Pediatric Advisor
Related Topic: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Blood (Serum) Glucose Test
What is the blood glucose test?
This test measures the amount of glucose (sugar) in your
blood. Sugar is an important source of energy, especially
for the brain. The amount of glucose in your blood is
carefully controlled by the endocrine (glandular) system.
This system causes sugar to be stored or used for energy,
depending on the needs of your body.
A person can get glucose directly from some foods, such as
table sugar. A person can also produce glucose when other
foods, such as bread and cereal, are digested.
Why is this test done?
The most common use of the blood glucose test is to check
for diabetes mellitus. The test is also used to see how
well the body is metabolizing glucose and the function of
organs involved in that process: the pancreas, the liver,
and the receptors that bring glucose into cells.
How do I prepare for this test?
Your child usually does not need to fast or limit his or her
activity before the first test.
If your child's first test is abnormal, a health care
provider may ask your child to fast before repeating the
test. The fasting test will show whether the abnormal
result in the first test was caused by food your child ate
before the test or some other reason.
The simplest way to check for diabetes is to check blood
sugar (glucose) before anything is eaten in the morning. In
most cases, your child will fast overnight, eating nothing
and drinking nothing but water after an evening meal, and in
the morning his or her blood is drawn.
Your child may need to avoid taking certain medicines before
the test because they might affect the test result.
Talk to your child's health care provider if you have any
questions.
How is the test done?
A small amount of blood is taken from your child's arm with
a needle. The blood is collected in tubes and sent to a
lab.
Having this test will take just a few minutes.
How will I get the test result?
Ask your health care provider how you will get the result of
your child's test.
What does the test result mean?
The normal blood glucose range for children in most labs is
60 to 105 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). The normal
range may vary slightly from lab to lab. Normal ranges are
usually shown next to the results in the lab report. A
fasting blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL or higher can mean
your child has diabetes.
Blood glucose level may be higher than normal (called
hyperglycemia) if:
- Your child has diabetes mellitus and:
- diabetes medicines are not adequately controlling the
condition
- your child hasn't been following a diabetic diet.
- Your child has kidney or liver disease.
- Your child's pancreas is inflamed.
- Your child's body is severely stressed from a bad
infection or injury.
Your child's blood glucose level may be lower than normal
(called hypoglycemia) if:
- Your child is diabetic and:
- the dose of insulin or other medicine used to control
the diabetes is too high
- your child took medicine for diabetes but then did not
eat.
- Your child's thyroid, pituitary, or adrenal glands are
not working normally.
- Your child has liver disease, problems absorbing food, or
a diet low in needed nutrients.
What if my child's test result is not normal?
Test results are only one part of a larger picture that
takes into account your child's medical history and current
health. Sometimes a test needs to be repeated to check the
first result. Talk to your health care provider about the
result and ask questions.
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