HYPOGLYCEMIC SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED BY DIABETIC CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS

Hypoglycaemic events are frequent complications of insulin-dependent d iabetes mellitus in children. The signs and symptoms referred to by yo ung children can be difficult to understand and often seem to be diffe rent from those described by their parents. We analysed the hypoglycae mic symptoms described by a group of patients and their parents. We st udied 40 pairs consisting of a parent and a diabetic child by using a structured questionnaire with 27 items concerning different symptoms o f hypoglycaemia. The mean+/-SD age of the children was 10.4+/-2.4 year s, with duration of disease 6.2+/-2.1 years and their HbA(1c) was 8.2/-2.0%. For the statistical analysis we used the principal component a nalysis. All the children followed a multiple injection regimen. The f requency and intensity of the hypoglycaemic signs described by patient s and parents were similar both for neuroglycopenic (uncoordination, c onfusion, odd behaviour, dizziness) and autonomic symptoms (trembling, sweating, pounding heart, hunger). Moreover, our questionnaire showed a high frequency of behavioural changes. In conclusion, from the anal ysis of the questionnaires collected, we found that both parents and c hildren gave almost the same score to the symptoms observed. This mean s that there is a concordance between the symptoms reported by the chi ldren and those reported by their parents.