Blood Sugar Highs and Lows Affect Kids’ Ability to Think Clearly

Most parents of a child with type 1 have already suspected what a new study indicates: that high and low blood sugars affect their ability to think clearly. This fuzzy thinking is most evident when a child is going low and results from a lack of glucose to help the brain work optimally.

But this study also shows that cognition is affected when the glucose readings are high. In fact, researchers found that the degree of mental impairment on math and reaction speed tests were the same for children with high sugar readings as they were for low. The causes of the slower performance associated with high glucose readings are not yet known.

Have you noticed fuzzy thinking in your child when his or her glucose is high? Or, if you have diabetes, have you seen this trend in yourself? Does it prompt you to check blood glucose? Post your comments below.