Do I need to call the doctor?

[bazmom]

My 11 year old daughter has been having what appears to be blood sugar issues for years.  If she gets hungry, look out!  She is a beast - mean and nasty, and refuses to eat anything you suggest, even if it is her all time favorite.  She will angrily refuse anything and everything until we basically force her to eat by telling her she will feel better and she will be grounded if she doesn't eat.  Typically, half way through her meal, she will apologize and start eating and acting normally.  She is not excessively thirsty, hasn't gained or lost any weight, and doesn't go to the bathroom any more than normal.  Is it possible to have a blood sugar problem with only this symptom?  There is a family history - my husband's brother was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes around the age of 12.

I have taken her to the doctor for this in the past and was told it was just her personality and to get used to it.  I have always had a gnawing feeling inside that there is something more going on.  I will admit, we have had issues with her trying to use her behavior to control situations, but this honestly doesn't seem like that - especially since she is apologizing a short time after she gets some food in her.  And this only happens when she is hungry.

I just need to know if I need to take her for some type of screening, and if so, what tests do I ask for?  She has an extreme phobia of needles, and I hate to make her go through that if this really has nothing to do with blood sugar.

Thank you for any tips or advice, I'm so sad to see her like this every single day, not to mention it's extremely difficult to deal with her when she is hungry and angry.

[sanbru74]

Being a type 1 diabetic over 25 years it may be what Dr. Kaul said but it also  shows the symptoms of being hypoglycemia (low blood sugars). Some people who are hypoglycemic eventually become diabetic. You can have her tested or borrow a glucose monitoring machine and test her when she shows the symptoms that you mentioned. Look for results lower than 70 which would indicate low blood sugar.
sincerely,
Sanbru74

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

The behavioral pattern does not specifically point towards an organic cause such as diabetes and is more likely to be an adjustment disorder. Sometimes we as adults need to learn how to behave with children and give them their own space instead of forcing our ideas and rules on them. You could get a screening done for diabetes at her pediatrician’s office, though I feel that seeing a behavior therapist might be more beneficial.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!