I have a 5 and a half year old daughter that has 21 hydroxlase, salt waster. My husband and I noticed there are times when she will be playing outside and she just falls to pieces. She is always a very pleasant child truly. But there are times like these that she just falls to pieces and cries at the drop of a hat. We learned that if we took her in and she rested with some milk (her favorite drink in the world) she would pop back up and be a totally different child. I am not kidding, day and night she becomes. It is amazing the difference a cup of milk, or juice drink can make. We always thought it was her glucose levels. But I was always told that the glucose levels should not be a problem if her Cortef is the right dosage. BUT where does normal glucose levels begin and end with CAH? I know if my husband does not eat most of the day, he gets REALLY cranky and gets a headache. So we make it a point to always have some kind of food in her system through out the day. Small snacks or juices.

My daughter was just on Pedapred for a few days after being admitted into the hospital for a respitory virus. They dropped her Cortef for those days. I have never seen this child so mean. I didn’t even recognize her. I felt so bad for her. I would try to be so patient with her outlashes. If I did call her on her misbehaving, she would fall to pieces and say she just couldn’t help herself. I would just rock her and hold her until these feelings would pass. It was hell for her all that week. On top of it all they gave her breathing treatments that also altered her moods. So I feel for you so much. There are some docs. that say it is not the steriod that causes the mood swings, it is the incorrect dosage. Then there are some that say it is the steroiods. Go figure. I suggest getting a glucometer. We were thinking of purchasing one if the moods continued in our daughter but as long as we keep some kind of food in her system she seems to be fine. Blessings to you.