Sugar, or glucose, is the main nutrient for human body. An insufficient amount of glucose in the blood leads to the fact that the body begins to take energy from fat reserves. This produces ketones. They are very toxic and lead to serious disorders in the body and intoxication.
The opposite state is high sugar in the blood - also negatively affects the child’s health, causing a well-known dangerous disease - diabetes mellitus. Constant overshoot permissible level glucose disrupts the functioning of all organs and systems. It is important for parents to know what the normal level of glucose in the child’s blood is and what to do when sugar rises.
Blood sugar level is one of the main biochemical criteria - both a lack and an excess of glucose negatively affects health
A blood sugar test is taken during routine visits to the clinic with your child. Parents need to take this study seriously and not skip it. It will help to timely identify and prevent possible dangerous diseases associated with impaired glucose levels in the body.
To determine the amount of sugar, blood is taken from the fingertip. For newborn children, analysis can be taken from the earlobe, foot, hand or heel, because it is not yet possible to take a sufficient amount of material from a finger at this age. To obtain a more accurate result, the doctor will order you to donate blood not from a finger, but from a vein. In infants up to one year old, this method is used in very rare cases.
There is another blood test, more informative - with a sugar load. It is carried out in children from 5 years of age. First, a blood test is taken on an empty stomach, then every 30 minutes for 2 hours after drinking a glucose solution. By deciphering the dynamics of the increase and decrease in blood sugar levels, the doctor makes a conclusion about the absorption of glucose by the child’s body. After that laboratory research Diabetes mellitus or prediabetes, that is, a predisposition, is finally diagnosed.
A blood sugar test is prescribed for children at risk:
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You need to properly prepare for a blood sugar test. To get a reliable result, you need:
Once diabetes is diagnosed, glucose levels should be monitored regularly. For this purpose, a special device is used - a glucometer. Usually, you use it to check your sugar 1-2 times a month on your own at home. For children, this method will be even preferable because it is less painful.
Using this table you can find out the normal blood glucose level in a child. Standards vary depending on age. In the youngest children, the indicators should be lower; gradually, by the age of 5, they approach the adult norm.
IN adolescence hormonal changes may slightly affect the performance, this must be taken into account. The gender of the child does not affect the amount of sugar in the blood.
Sometimes sugar values either increase or decrease, which also indicates the beginning of the development of pathology. In another case, this is possible when the child is not prepared for the test. It is important to explain, especially to schoolchildren, why they take a sugar test and how to take it correctly.
Any deviations from the norm in childhood cannot be ignored. They are equally dangerous when displaced in one direction or another, so consultation with a specialist is necessary. The pediatrician will refer the child for a more extensive examination to a pediatric endocrinologist or to reanalysis if the rules of preparation for the procedure were violated.
Indicators below normal indicate hypoglycemia, above - hyperglycemia. At a level of more than 6.1 mmol/l, diabetes mellitus is diagnosed.
Hypoglycemia is as dangerous as high glucose levels. U one year old baby such a drop in blood sugar can be critical and lead to fatal outcome or serious operational disruptions nervous system. This happens because the body small child cannot yet obtain the required amount of glucose from food. His metabolic processes are imperfect, so a sugar test is rarely taken from newborns, because the indicators fluctuate (we recommend reading:).
By the age of 3, the situation returns to normal, as the baby completely switches to the adult diet and his body absorbs carbohydrates well. By the age of 6, the child’s blood glucose levels are close to those of an adult.
Poor nutrition with an excess of fast carbohydrates has a negative effect on blood sugar levels It is believed that the reasons for deviations from the norm in blood test results are:
During hypoglycemia, the body produces increased amount adrenaline to get more glucose. The following symptoms indicate that your sugar level has dropped:
A child's poor health may indicate low sugar levels. Long-term hypoglycemia can cause brain damage, so it is important to normalize your sugar levels as quickly as possible. Particularly dangerous reduced value sugar for children with diabetes, so any symptoms they have are given great value. This condition can lead to coma.
While high blood sugar often accompanies diabetes, hypoglycemia is mainly associated with lack of food, fasting, vegetarianism or a raw food diet. While it is possible for an adult body to cope with such food restrictions, for children they pose a mortal danger. First of all, the brain, the main “consumer” of glucose, suffers. This is why hunger causes fainting, blurred vision, and sometimes even coma.
Sometimes hypoglycemia develops due to diseases gastrointestinal tract(malignant and benign tumors, pancreatitis, gastritis), nervous and endocrine systems, brain injuries, severe systemic diseases.
To avoid low sugar in the blood, the baby should always eat well, eat enough carbohydrates, both simple and complex (porridge, whole grain bread). For a child with hypoglycemia, the doctor prescribes diet No. 9.
Diabetics need to periodically test their blood sugar levels to avoid complications of this dangerous disease. Why does a child develop diabetes:
What signs indicate high glucose levels in a child:
With elevated blood glucose levels, the child constantly craves sweets However, diabetes mellitus does not always manifest itself so clearly pronounced signs. Often the diagnosis comes as a surprise to the sick child and his parents, but even in this case, the disease negatively affects health. At the same time terrible disease The body cannot obtain glucose from the blood without an additional dose of insulin, and insulin dependence develops. There are two types of diabetes: caused internal reasons(autoimmune) and caused by diseases or injuries of the pancreas.
What should the blood sugar concentration be? at different ages? This biochemical indicator is important; depending on age, glycemic figures may differ. If the child has no complaints about his health, then it is enough to determine glucose in the bloodstream once a year with for preventive purposes. If the child makes any complaints about his health, they will join pathological changes, then it is recommended to contact your doctor in a timely manner in order to identify the causes of the ailment and obtain from the doctor basic recommendations for restoring glycemic levels. A quick contact with a specialist will help early stages avoid negative consequences, and will also help stop the progression of the disease further early stages.
A blood test to determine sugar can be carried out in any children's clinic, or you can purchase a special medical device - a glucometer, which is used to determine glucose in the bloodstream. The kit comes with several test strips; they must be stored in accordance with all the rules.
Using a glucometer at home, it is important to know what the child’s blood sugar level should be at the age of 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 years. The text below will be devoted to consideration of this issue. Missing ages have been previously addressed, so use the site search if required.
If you violate the rules for storing test strips, in particular, if they are kept in a damp room, then you can expect errors in determining this parameter, that is, the glucose level may be increased or decreased, which will require repeated blood sugar test.
How to do a blood sugar test?
A blood test for glucose levels is carried out in the morning on an empty stomach, that is, the child should not eat for ten hours before the test itself. In addition, you should not brush your teeth, as some toothpastes contain sugar, which can be accidentally swallowed, resulting in true meaning blood sugar may change.
A child's blood sugar test is taken from a finger. It should be noted that if a person is sick, it is better not to carry out the study, since the parameters may differ markedly from the norm. In addition, if blood sugar is determined using a glucometer, it is worth knowing that there may be a slight error in the analysis, which is quite acceptable.
The appearance of an error is due to the fact that there is a violation in the execution technique similar procedure, as a result of direct contact of test strips with air or as a result of minor inaccuracies in the operation of the device. If in such a situation the obtained figures approach borderline values, then it is recommended to repeat the analysis so as not to miss the debut (beginning) of any pathological process.
Normal blood sugar
What is the normal blood sugar level for children of different ages? I will present these parameters for informational purposes. In one year it is 3.3-5.0 mmol/l; at 2 years these values do not change and are also 3.3-5.0 mmol/l; at 4 years of age, sugar values remain at the same level of 3.3-5.0 mmol/l; at the age of six years, these parameters normally change somewhat; in particular, they correspond to 3.3-5.5 mmol/l.
At 8 years of age, blood sugar parameters vary from 3.3 to 5.5 mmol/l; at the age of 9 years, glucose values are 3.3-5.5 mmol/l; at 11 years old, at 12, at 13 and at 14 years old, the sugar norm remains at the level of 3.3-5.5 mmol/l.
How much sugar can you consume per day??
To prevent development endocrine pathology, in particular diabetes mellitus, it is important to know the sugar norm presented above, and if it deviates from the norm, you should immediately consult a doctor. In addition, you need to know how much glucose children can consume throughout the day. So, until a baby is one year old, it is contraindicated to eat sugar if he is not on breastfeeding.
Baby formulas sold do not contain sugar, and the usual sucrose is replaced with either maltose or lactose. Once the baby reaches one year, he is allowed to use a minimum amount of glucose, and by the age of three years, his consumption rate can increase to forty grams per day. Sugar levels increase to 50 grams by age six.
Taste preferences in babies are formed during the first year, that is, almost from the moment of birth. Newborns have much more sensitive taste receptors to chemical irritants, unlike adults. Many mothers taste it before serving food to their babies, and often it does not seem sweet to them, so they add sugar to the food to suit their taste. Of course, this should not be done, because the child will find such food very sweet, he will quickly get used to it, and this can also provoke a disruption at the endocrine level.
Explanation of abnormal blood sugar levels
A child's normal blood sugar levels may be affected various factors. Glucose must enter the body with food, but if there is a violation of some link in this chain, then there may be a lack of sugar in the bloodstream. Glucose levels are regulated by many hormones. For example, the main one is insulin, it promotes the absorption of sugar in the body and also helps reduce it.
Insulin is produced in the cells of the pancreas, it utilizes glucose. In addition, there is a hormone called glucagon, which is aimed at the breakdown of glycogen. Stress hormones can increase blood glucose levels. Hormones produced thyroid gland have a stimulating effect on all metabolic processes, while helping to increase sugar in the bloodstream.
All of the above factors contribute to maintaining glycemia at normal level. If any link at this level is disrupted, a decrease or increase in sugar levels in the bloodstream may occur.
A decrease in blood glucose can be recorded during fasting, in addition, with some pathology of the pancreas, in particular with registered pancreatitis. In addition, long-term illnesses can lower sugar levels.
In addition, insulin levels, which are tumor formations from pancreatic tissue, they synthesize a significant amount of insulin in large quantities and release it into the bloodstream. In addition, diseases of the nervous system, arsenic poisoning or other poisoning can affect blood sugar. chemical compounds, as well as sarcoidosis.
With a sharp decrease in sugar levels, the child may first become active, but very quickly dizziness and loss of consciousness develop, sometimes this condition is accompanied by convulsive syndrome. If at such a moment you do not give him necessary help, then the person will develop a hypoglycemic coma, and if appropriate measures are not taken, this condition can lead to death.
Accordingly, you need to know what to do first if your blood sugar levels drop sharply. You can give your child a glass of sweet tea, or sweet cookies or candy, which will help correct the level of glucose in the bloodstream. After which you should apply for medical care, which will involve administering glucose or dextrose to increase blood glucose.
The blood sugar level may change under the influence of pancreatic disease, in particular when diabetes mellitus. It is known that this pathology occupies the first place in endocrine pathology. Typically, type 1 diabetes develops in childhood; it is much more severe when compared with type 2 diabetes, which is more often recorded in adults.
Changes in blood sugar parameters can be caused by stress factors; glucose levels may increase under the influence of recent physical activity. In addition, this parameter changes against the background of diagnosed obesity, as well as with pathology of hormone-producing organs, and also as a result of prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
You should not be afraid of a one-time increase in sugar levels, since the study could have been performed incorrectly or there was some kind of malfunction in the operation of the device. Accordingly, it is recommended to determine blood glucose parameters several times in order to obtain more reliable information.
A child's blood sugar levels may vary depending on his age, so parents should have information about normal blood glucose levels. And if elevated numbers were detected on the glucometer, this should be a reason to contact a specialist.
At the clinic, the child will undergo a repeat blood test to check blood sugar levels. If its increase or decrease is confirmed, then the doctor will prescribe another necessary diagnostics to detect the appearance of any pathology in the early stages. Early diagnosis will help maintain the child’s health, and appropriate treatment procedures can be started in a timely manner.
Glucose tolerance test
You can more accurately determine your glucose level using a glucose tolerance test. Thanks to it, you can determine the rate of absorption of glucose after its consumption in excess quantity. That is, it will be possible to find out over what period of time the glucose level will return to normal.
To carry out this test, glucose powder is consumed orally at the rate of 1.75 grams per kilogram of the child’s weight, which can be washed down with a small amount of liquid. Then, every 30 minutes it is recommended to determine the sugar level, and the data obtained is reflected on the graph. If after two hours the value is less than 7 mmol/l, this is considered normal.
Surprisingly, children's bodies can lower glucose levels much faster than adults. In this regard, there are specific requirements for glucose levels after a glucose tolerance test. Therefore, this indicator should not be more than 7.7 mmol/l; if the level is higher, then this indicates the presence of some kind of disease.
If a child is diagnosed with diabetes, you should immediately begin therapeutic measures that will be prescribed by the attending doctor. In addition, a diet that limits sweets is important; a friendly atmosphere in the family will also help the child adapt faster.
Conclusion
It is important for children to check their blood sugar levels to timely detection changing this parameter. To do this, you can conduct a blood test using a glucometer or regular laboratory method, taking biomaterial for research from a finger.
The blood glucose concentration in a healthy adult and adolescent ranges from 3.3 to 5.5 mmol/L. In this state, sufficient carbohydrate metabolism occurs, normal physical and mental development teenage children.
They tend to have increased hormone production due to sexual development. That's why physiological indicators fluctuate up or down.
Adolescence can trigger the incidence of diabetes mellitus in genetically predisposed children. It is necessary to strictly monitor their condition in order to recognize the first signs of the disease in time and prevent comatose state in case of a sharp jump in blood sugar levels.
Certain fluctuations in glucose occur after eating. Products containing large amounts of carbohydrates - sugar, grapes, confectionery, fast food - especially contribute to this. In this case, the hormone insulin cannot cope with the complete utilization of glucose, which must enter the body's cells for energy. Excess is stored as glycogen in the liver, forming a reserve. Metabolic processes are controlled by hormones. Insulin has a hypoglycemic effect.
The body contains hormones that increase the effect of sugar:
In adolescence, diabetes mellitus is more difficult to treat than in adults, because hormonal background is changing.
Type 1 diabetes often occurs during adolescence. On initial stage difficult to recognize because clinical picture blurred. Symptoms become more pronounced when about 90% of the beta cells of the pancreas are destroyed:
If you do not pay attention to these signs, the disease progresses, nausea appears, the smell of acetone appears, which indicates ketoacidosis, in the worst case, coma occurs, which requires emergency care.
For correct diagnosis it is necessary to undergo preliminary training. In a few days, remove fatty and fatty foods from your diet. spicy food, sweet carbonated drinks. The last time to eat is 10-12 hours before the test. You can only drink in front of him plain water. If the child is sick infectious disease or accepts medicines, the result may be biased. High levels are also contraindicated physical activity And stressful conditions, physiotherapeutic procedures before the examination.
Analyzes may show the following deviations:
An additional test for glucose tolerance is carried out in two stages. First, the test is taken on an empty stomach, then after taking a glucose solution. In this case, values above 11 units confirm the diagnosis of diabetes.
A teenager may also be prescribed a test for glycated hemoglobin. This test allows you to find out your blood sugar levels over the past three months.
Every person, adult or small, should periodically undergo various examinations. This also applies to testing for diabetes. The normal blood sugar level in children is an indicator that parents need to know so that when their children are tested, they can easily determine whether their baby’s health is in order.
Sugar, which is transported throughout the child’s body with the blood, is a source of energy for him and nourishes organ cells. In this regard, many people come to the conclusion: the more there is, the better. But such a judgment is wrong. There must be a certain concentration of it in the tissues of organs, and if there is an excess, then this is not good.
Glucose level in human body controlled by the pancreas, which produces the hormones insulin and glucagon. The first of them limits the concentration of sugar, and the second helps to increase it.
When there is not enough insulin in the body, diabetes mellitus begins to develop. Any deviation from the norm of this indicator entails dangerous diseases. The sooner they are recognized, the greater the chance of recovery.
For adults there are clearly defined boundaries for normal blood sugar levels, but for children it all depends on age group. The norms vary significantly. Differences in performance may occur due to testing of the analysis in different laboratories.
To avoid confusion, laboratory normal values are written next to the result. But there are indicators agreed upon by WHO.
To find out what the child’s sugar level should be, you can familiarize yourself with this table:
Often mothers who have a history of diabetes worry about their unborn baby. Even before his birth, they find out what the blood sugar level in a newborn baby should be in order to control this indicator.
Often during childbirth, after separation from the mother’s body, the baby experiences a decrease in sugar concentration. Timely administration of the correct dose of glucose restores the normal functioning of the child's body.
The reason for the drop in sugar levels may be complex process birth, the stress experienced at this moment. Premature babies are at increased risk of developing this condition. The less developed the child, the higher the danger.
If severe, it can cause infant mortality, but with the correct medical advice and timely treatment, lives can be saved. But even with adequate treatment, sometimes cerebral palsy or another serious illness develops.
For infant characterized by low sugar concentration. This substance is contained in significantly less quantity in his blood than in adults.
It is described above how much sugar should be normal, but the results of the tests taken may show both the optimal glucose concentration and either increased or decreased. There are many reasons that influence this indicator:
If the test result shows below 2.5 mmol/l, then such a child has hypoglycemia. Reduced blood glucose concentration may be associated with:
In this case, this patient’s health condition should not be ignored by doctors. They need to find the real reason reducing glucose levels.
With elevated sugar levels, the first thought comes to the development of diabetes, but the indicator may also indicate problems such as:
When the test results show more than 6.1 mmol/l, this means that the child has hyperglycemia. This main feature diabetes mellitus. This disease can occur in a person at any age. But during the active growth of the child’s body (6-10 years) and during adolescence, the disease most often develops.
“Do diabetes have symptoms that attentive parents could notice at the beginning of the development of the disease, without resorting to testing?” - this question worries many mothers and fathers. Yes, indeed, they exist, and everyone needs to know about them. These are signs such as:
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It is very important to identify this pathology as early as possible, otherwise the disease can lead to mental and mental retardation. physical development crumbs.
Scientists have not yet fully studied the exact reasons for the onset of the development of this disease. There are factors predisposing to this disease in children. Here they are:
When diabetes is confirmed in one of the twins, the other has increased risk to this disease. If this disease- of the first type, then healthy baby in 50% of cases this diagnosis can also be confirmed. With type II diabetes, the second twin has a good chance of getting sick, especially if he is overweight.
If the child’s sugar level exceeds the norm, the doctor prescribes appropriate therapy. It includes, except drug treatment, other methods to alleviate the child’s condition:
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It is important for a child diagnosed with diabetes to provide psychological assistance. This is necessary so that he does not feel inferior and more easily accepts new living conditions.
When taking this test, it is extremely important to fulfill all the preparation requirements for it. This will help reduce the risk of an erroneous result and accurately determine the real state of the baby’s health.
Under proper preparation Donating blood requires abstaining from eating 12 hours before the start of the procedure. Since in most cases doctors take the test in the morning, you only need to have dinner, and you can have breakfast after the blood is taken. Drink plain water Doctors allow it.
In the laboratory little patient The ring finger is pierced with a lancet, and the resulting drop of blood is applied to the prepared test strip. The result is obtained using a glucometer.
If the sugar level on an empty stomach is more than 5.5 mmol/l, then this is a reason to be wary.
You can more accurately determine your glucose level by using a glucose tolerance test. It will show the rate of glucose absorption after excessive consumption, that is, how long it takes for the sugar level to return to normal levels.
This test consists of ingesting glucose powder (1.75 g for every kilogram of the child’s body weight) with a small amount of liquid. Then every half hour they measure the sugar level and draw a graph of its decrease in concentration. If after 2 hours the value is less than 7 mmol/l, then this is normal.
Surprisingly children's body has the ability to lower glucose levels faster than an adult. Therefore, children have their own requirements for sugar levels after a glucose tolerance test. This indicator should not exceed 7.7 mmol/l. More high level already indicates the presence of the disease.
In adults, everything is different: with a value of up to 11 units, doctors assess the condition as preceding diabetes, and more than 11 is already a disease.
If diabetes does develop in a child, this is not a death sentence. But such a baby requires more attention and affection from his parents, as well as adequate treatment and diet. A friendly family atmosphere will help the child quickly adapt to new living conditions.
Glucose is a monosaccharide that plays a large role in the body. It is one of the main sources of energy. Changes in blood sugar levels are among the main signs of carbohydrate metabolism disorders.
If both parents are diagnosed with diabetes, then in 25% of cases the child will inherit this disease. If a disease is detected in one of the parents, the risk of inheritance is on average 15%.
Children's blood sugar levels change as they grow older. In childhood, the norm is lower than in adults. The amount of glucose also depends on food intake.
Normal blood sugar levels in children
Most low rate observed in newborns, and subsequently the level increases. The normal blood sugar level in 6-year-old children, as well as the normal blood sugar level in 7-year-old children, is in the range of 3.3–5.5 mmol/l. With age, the value becomes as close as possible to adult values.
You can determine the level of glucose in a child’s blood both in the laboratory and at home using a special device (glucometer). In order for the indicator to be as accurate as possible, the material is taken on an empty stomach. For this purpose, blood is taken from a vein (in the laboratory) or from a finger.
If you have diabetes, checking your glucose level with a glucometer should become a habit and become the child's responsibility. The finger must be pierced on the side to collect blood, as this area is less sensitive.
The day before the test, you should not eat sweets, crackers, chips and fruits containing large amounts of sugar. Dinner should be light. You can give your child porridge, fish or lean meat. It is recommended to exclude potatoes, pasta, and bread. In the morning before taking the test, you should not brush your teeth, since the components of the toothpaste that are absorbed through the mucous membranes of the oral cavity can affect the result.
In order to determine a child’s blood sugar level using a glucometer, you must:
The result will be determined within a minute. In this case, the decoding of the analysis is carried out independently. To do this, you must first study the instructions for using the device.
The results of the analysis may be affected by:
If there is a suspicion of diabetes mellitus, carry out special test. The child is given 50 or 75 ml of glucose solution to drink (the amount depends on age). After one and two hours additional analysis, which makes it possible to determine the rate of insulin production and its amount.
If one hour after the test the blood glucose level exceeds 11 mmol/l, this confirms the presence of diabetes mellitus.
The weight of a child at birth affects the development of diabetes, so if a newborn weighs more than 4.5 kg, he is at risk. The first blood sugar test is performed immediately after birth.
If you have symptoms indicating increased level glucose, you should immediately seek advice from a pediatrician or endocrinologist.
If the child does not have the prerequisites for the development of the disease, then a repeat analysis is carried out once a year. In the future, in order to control the development of the disease, blood is tested for sugar once every 3 years.
More often, analysis may be prescribed in cases where there are deviations. For example, if, according to the table, the normal blood sugar level in children 10 years old should not exceed 5.5 mmol/l, but in fact the value is higher, an unscheduled study is indicated.
High blood sugar levels may be caused by:
In order to prevent a child from developing a disease such as diabetes, it is necessary to control his diet and physical activity.
Low glucose levels in children are observed in the following cases:
There are a number of symptoms that may indicate increased blood sugar levels. Two hours after eating, the child becomes lethargic and tends to sleep. He is constantly thirsty and drinks too much liquid. Skin become dry, pustules appear. The child has an increased tendency to sweets and baked goods.
Other possible symptoms that require attention from parents:
In turn, when reduced level blood sugar levels, the child becomes agitated and restless, and begins to sweat profusely. He may ask for sweets. Further development headache and dizziness. If the level of glucose in the body does not increase, consciousness may be impaired and convulsions may occur.
Diabetes mellitus manifests itself at different ages, and the disease can be congenital. It is most often detected in children between 6 and 9 years of age (including children aged 7 and 8 years), when a growth spurt occurs. The age range of 11–13 years is also considered critical for the development of the disease.
In medicine, it is customary to divide this disease into two types:
In 90% of cases, children develop type 1 diabetes.
In order to prevent a child from developing a disease such as diabetes, it is necessary to control his diet and physical activity.
It is necessary to reduce the amount of sweets and baked goods in the diet, and also completely eliminate chips, crackers, and carbonated drinks from the menu. If a child is overweight, a diet is required.
If elevated blood sugar levels are detected, parents, first of all, need to conduct a repeat test.
At present, a method has not yet been found that would completely cure the disease, so the main task of parents is to teach the child to control blood glucose levels, pay attention to his well-being and independently administer required doses insulin.
If you have diabetes, checking your glucose level with a glucometer should become a habit and become the child's responsibility. The finger must be pierced on the side to collect blood, as this area is less sensitive. At each visit to the doctor, you need to compare the indicators of the device with the indicators that the doctor has.
If you have symptoms indicating elevated glucose levels, you should immediately consult a pediatrician or endocrinologist.
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