Earlier today, my daughter paid a visit to her Diabetes Management Team for a checkup. We emailed her Nurse Practitioner the latest diabetes spreadsheet that I put together. It's a very simple chart that keeps track of daily blood glucose levels, carbs per meal, insulin doses and any exercise that she may have done each day.
As part of her routine diabetes checkup, she has to undergo a hemoglobin A1C test (also called HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin test, or glycohemoglobin) which provides an average of your blood sugar control over a six to 12 week period. This test, combined with consistent home gblood glucose monitoring will provide you and your child's team with a clear picture of how well their blood glucose is being controlled.
I've already stressed the importance of tracking and maintaining precise records of your child's pertinent diabetes information. Now, I am going to stress the importance of going to regularly scheduled doctor appointments and taking the a1c test. According to the American Diabetes Association, "People with diabetes should have this test every three months to determine whether their blood sugars have reached the target level of control. Those who have their diabetes under good control may be able to wait longer between the blood tests, but experts recommend checking at least 2 times a year." The normal range for the hemoglobin A1c test for people without diabetes is between 4% and 6%. The goal for people with diabetes is an hemoglobin A1c 7% or less.
The higher the A1c percentage, the higher the risks of developing complications related to diabetes. Keep good records and get the a1C checked regularly. It's critical in keeping your child healthy!
(BTW....my daughter's a1c result was 7%.)
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