Management of altered mental status

—Hyperventilation due to panic in a child with juvenile diabetes—A case report

Abstract

Altered mental status (AMS) is a symptom complex that has various causes and treatments, many of which require timely intervention. Hyperventilation as a component of panic attack may give rise to AMS as it causes a chemical imbalance in the blood. Pediatric dentists must be able to recognize symptoms of AMS which result from hyperventilation and panic attacks and be able to differentiate them from hypoglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis which may be exhibited in children with both panic attacks and diabetes mellitus.