🔺 How to Treat a High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia) for T1D
A high blood sugar (a “high”) usually means a blood glucose level over 180 mg/dL. It can happen for many reasons — missed insulin, food, stress, illness, or hormones. Managing highs is important to avoid fatigue, dehydration, and longer-term complications.
🚩 Signs of a High Blood Sugar:
- Headache or blurry vision
- Fatigue or irritability
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Stomach pain or nausea (especially if very high)
(Some people may not feel any symptoms until BG is much higher.)
Click here for free printable charts that show the symptoms of a low- perfect for teachers, caregivers, and family/friends.
💉 How to Treat a High:
1️⃣ Give a Correction Dose of Insulin
- Use your child’s correction factor (ISF) to determine how much insulin to give.
- This may be done using a pump, smart pen, or manual injection.
2️⃣ Drink Water
- Encourage plenty of water to help flush excess sugar out of the bloodstream through urine.
- Avoid sugary drinks or juice.
3️⃣ Check for Ketones (if BG is over 250 mg/dL)
- Use urine strips or a blood ketone meter.
- If ketones are moderate or high, call your doctor — extra insulin and close monitoring may be needed.
4️⃣ Retest Blood Sugar in 2–3 Hours
- Make sure the correction is working and BG is coming down.
⚠️ When to Seek Help:
- Blood sugar stays high despite correction
- Moderate or high ketones
- Symptoms of nausea, vomiting, or rapid breathing → Call your diabetes care team or go to the ER — this may be a sign of DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis).
📌 Quick Tips:
- Double check for expired insulin or pump/site issues
- Don’t “stack insulin” unless directed (giving doses too close together)
- Keep calm — stress can make it worse
- Try something active to help bring down their numbers- jumping on a trampoline always drops our son (only do physical activity if ketones are not present). We purchased this small trampoline to keep in our basement, great for his highs, but also great for a workout too!
💡 Highs happen — it’s not anyone’s fault. The goal is to treat it safely, learn from it, and move on.
