In a child with hypoglycaemia, what is a crucial consideration for administering oral glucose?

In the context of treating a child with hypoglycemia, ensuring that the child is awake and alert, specifically with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 15, is paramount before administering oral glucose. This is because oral glucose requires the ability to swallow safely without the risk of aspiration. If a child is unconscious or has a significantly reduced level of consciousness, there is a risk that they may not be able to protect their airway, which could lead to choking or aspiration pneumonia if glucose is administered orally.

The other considerations, such as age under 5, living with diabetes for less than 2 years, or the presence of other diagnoses, do not directly pertain to the immediate safety and efficacy of oral glucose administration in a hypoglycemic child. While these factors may influence overall management or treatment choices, they do not specifically address the crucial requirement that the child is able to safely ingest the glucose. Therefore, the focus on assessing the child's consciousness level ensures that administration is both safe and appropriate.