A person suffering from extreme hyperglycemia should be treated by a physician. The reaction can begin as a headache or blurred vision and can quickly progress to a seizure or loss of consciousness. If this person is conscious, common remedies include taking up to four glucose tablets or drinking six ounces of non-diet soda or fruit juice. People with Type 1 diabetes need to control their blood sugar levels through the three variables of food intake, exercise, and insulin injections. They need to watch what and when they eat, how much and when they exercise, and how and when their blood glucose level may require insulin.
Diabetes control is a constant balancing act of food, exercise, and insulin.
In addition to eating meals at regular times, a child with diabetes may require snacks at other times so that insulin usage is properly balanced and low blood sugar does not occur. People with Type 1 diabetes may sometimes lose weight because they are not getting enough insulin, and glucose cannot enter their cells for energy. In response, their bodies are using stored fat for energy. This condition can also lead to a very high blood sugar level, which can create a dangerous condition called ketoacidosis. Type 2 diabetes is almost always associated with obesity.