subject: Autism Treatment – Treatment of Low Blood Sugar for Autism [print this page] Something that I do see from time to time with children on the Autism spectrum is low blood glucose levels on their test results. Our bodies and brains need glucose to function appropriately, glucose is the simple sugar that is a fuel source. Normal blood glucose levels range from 80 to 100 and many test results come back in that range. I do sometimes see them elevated, 105 to 110 and I do also see them sometimes in the 60's.
Low blood glucose is also known as hypoglycemia and it can be a transient issue or it can be an ongoing, debilitating condition. We know that individuals with diabetes fluctuate between very high blood sugar levels and very low blood sugar levels as their insulin levels start to have imbalances. And low blood sugar can interfere with many things, including focusing, attention, cognition and even mood and behavior. So, your child could have reactive hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar issues, if you see these types of behaviors throughout the day in your child when they don't eat frequently enough.
There are many different ways of addressing this issue. Put simple, an easy remedy is to ensure that your child is eating enough and frequently to keep up his/her blood sugar. And of course during times like growth spurts, their body will need more food and their appetite changes. So if your child has long stretches where they have not eaten, like 3 or 4 hours, then a snack is clearly needed. If your child attends school then you should let them know that your child needs a snack from every half hour to every 2 hours to keep their blood sugar levels constant. Adults can do the same thing, eat more frequently but smaller meals. Another thing that can help is to avoid sweet juices and sweet treats. The sugar signals a release in insulin, then blog sugar levels drop which causes the low blood sugar issues.
So the key is to work on balancing the carbohydrates, fats and oils, as well as proteins to maintain adequate blood sugar levels. And many things can be done dietarily to help with insulin sensitivity. Chromium is a mineral that can be helpful, 100 to 200 micrograms per day is generally sufficient. Another helpful dietary thing is to make sure that your child gets a multi-vitamin, multi-mineral and antioxidant supplement.
So again, the focus is on two main things, watching what is going into your child and their frequency of eating. Balancing proteins, balancing fats, balancing carbohydrates and balancing simple and complex sugars should be the focus. Then, giving your child the opportunity to eat more frequently, adding in snacks between the main meals, can go a long way in helping to reduce some of the attention, focusing and mood issues that can be caused by low blood sugar. So really, your child just needs to eat.
Autism Treatment Treatment of Low Blood Sugar for Autism
By: Dr. Kurt Woeller
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