Hypoglycaemia (hypo) is when blood glucose levels are low, falling to below 4mmol/l*. This is a common short-term complication of diabetes which needs to be treated quickly.
Some children will know when they are going hypo and will be able to take appropriate action themselves, but others, especially younger ones, those newly diagnosed or with learning difficulties may need help in recognising and treating their hypo.
All school staff should be aware of the signs of a hypo and what to do should a child have a hypo.
What causes blood glucose levels to fall, causing a hypo?
Blood glucose levels fall because:
- too much insulin has been taken
- a meal or snack has been delayed or missed
- not enough carbohydrate food has been eaten
- exercise was unplanned or strenous
- sometimes there is no obvious cause.
* Millimoles per litre, a unit of measurement that shows the concentrations of a substance in a specific amount of fluid.