Children: Quick-sugar foods to help raise blood glucose

Food	Less than 5 years old (5 g fast-acting carbohydrate)	5 to 10 years old (10 g fast-acting carbohydrate)	More than 10 years old (15 g fast-acting carbohydrate)
Glucose tablet (4 g)	1 tablet	2 or 3 tablets	4 tablets
Dextrose tablet (3 g)	2 tablets	3 tablets	5 tablets
Fruit juice or regular (not diet) soda pop	3 tablespoons (40 mL)	1/3 cup (85 mL)	½ cup (125 mL)

It's important not to over-treat low blood glucose, because it can cause rebound high blood glucose levels and weight gain. These quick-sugar foods will help raise your blood glucose in an emergency, because they are made from almost all carbohydrate. If you are not sure about what other foods you could use to raise your blood glucose, ask your doctor, registered dietitian, or diabetes educator.

When you have diabetes, it's important to re-test your blood glucose level 15 minutes after treating low blood glucose. If your low blood glucose level stays below 4.0 mmol/L, you should treat it again with another round of quick-sugar food. For more information and instructions, see the How to Treat a Low Blood Sugar page.