Question:
From Washington, D.C., USA:
My son is 15 and has had Type 1 for two years. He seems to become dehydrated frequently in hot weather which seems to push his blood sugars up. His overall control is good with HBA1C level around 7.2%. Drinking several glasses of water will quickly bring his blood sugars into range. We encourage him to drink water all day long, but I wonder if this is a common problem for Type 1's. Does diabetes make one more vulnerable to heat related dehydration?
Answer:
Diabetes can affect many tissues and organs of the body but I never read or
met (and believe me, Sardinia is a very hot island during summertime!) a
diabetic adolescent of 15 years in good metabolic control and good physical
conditions suffering of heat related dehydration unless he's vomiting,
having diarrhea, or very high fever.
MS
Original posting 22 Jul 97