What to do when you encounter a diabetic in trouble

Occasionally a First-Aider or person with no experience of First-Aid may encounter another person on the street suffering from the effects of either Hyperglycaemia or Hypoglycaemia. The symptoms suffered during a diabetic emergency.

As a person who wants to help in this situation, it is important to have a little basic knowledge of a diabetic's condition.

Hyperglycaemia is the result of high blood sugar. The symptoms are rapid breathing, vomiting, drowsiness, abdominal pain, sweet-smelling breath, frequent urination and in extreme cases, unconsciousness.

1. Give the person a drink - without sugar - for hydration purposes.
2. Call emergency services and stay with them.
3. Check their vital signs every ten minutes. Pulse rate, response level (talk to them and ask them simple questions) and check their rate of breathing.

Hypoglycaemia is the result of low blood sugar. Symptoms are often first observed as shaking or muscle spasms, disorientation, pale, clammy skin and sometimes aggressive behaviour.

Often, in both cases the person may be able to tell you what they need. They are the one with the experience. They live with it everyday.

1. Give the person something sweet to eat or drink e.g. boiled sweet or chocolate. Fruit juice or even a fizzy drink (soda) is good enough to help raise the blood sugar. Often, when the person drinks or eats something sweet, improvement can be observed within a minute or two.

2. If symptoms persist, call emergency services and stay with them. Talk to them and check their vital signs every ten minutes. Breathing, is it still too rapid? Pulse, is it slowing or still pounding away?

3. Check their level of awareness. Do they appear conscious of their surroundings, can they respond to your simple questions without confusion?

Remember, if you encounter somebody who needs first aid and you know you can help, then always do it with absolute confidence. Be firm with bystanders. While you attend to the patient firmly ask another responsible bystander to call an ambulance - make sure that they actually do this.