Ketones

[ghj123]

My daughter just turned a year.  For the last 6mos she has had ketones in her urine on and off.  They have tested her for diabetes, metabolic disorders-every thing is normal.  She always has the strong acetone breath and her ketone levels (done through a urinalysis) are abnormal/large. With the over the counter dipsticks she registers at the highest level on the color chart.  Her specific gravity is always normal or low, PH is within normal and her urine is always clear and yellow.  What would cause the ketones?

[JDRF-VOL-RL]

Hello.  I'm not a medical professional, just the parent of a kid with diabetes.  Ketones are the byproduct of the body consuming fat.  Muscles not getting carbohydrates delivered to them is one cause of many of that condition.  Do you test blood sugars immediately after seeing large ketones?  One of the things about testing ketones through urine is that it is a reflection of what was going on in the body anywhere from 2 to 4 hours prior, because of the process of the kidneys filtering the blood and the bladder storing up the urine.  The Precision Xtra meter can check blood sugars and ketones at the same time, and it is an immediate test of what is going on in the body.  

There are other things that can cause ketones as well.  Non-diabetics can get ketones when there are major stresses going on in their bodies.  Major surgeries or other undiagnosed serious illnesses can cause ketones because of the stress that it causes a body.  I have no reason to suspect that, but it most definitely is a possibility.  

So what I would do first is try to get your hands on a Precision Xtra meter so you can get a more immediate check of blood sugars.  The second thing I would do is continue to work with your pediatrition to check for other major illnesses.  Good luck.