Oral glucose tolerance test

What is a oral glucose tolerance test?

An oral glucose tolerance test is a test to see how your child’s body reacts after you have a sugary drink. We will then take a few blood tests every 30 minutes, for 2 hours to check the levels of insulin and glucose in your child’s blood.

How does the test work?

This test measures how your child’s body reacts to a sugary drink. We take a few blood tests over the next 2 hours to see how much insulin and glucose is in your blood. This helps us see if your panaceas (which is in your tummy) is working properly.

A hollow plastic tube ‘cannula’ is placed in a vein in your child’s hand or arm to let us to collect blood samples. The cannula acts a bit like a straw so that all the blood samples can be taken from the 1 tube.

We will give your child a local anaesthetic cream or cold spray to help with any pain or discomfort. If your child would prefer to use local anaesthetic cream, you should arrive on Daycare 30 minutes earlier than your appointment time to let this cream to work. You will need to ask the staff on Daycare to apply the cream when you arrive on the ward.

Once the cannula is in, your child can play with toys, read books and watch TV.

The procedure takes around 3 hours and can be done as a day case (so you do not have to spend the night in hospital).

What about eating and drinking?

It is essential that you do not let your child have anything to eat or drink after midnight before their test. This includes snacks, breakfast, milk, fruit juices and fizzy drinks.

Your child must have a drink of plain water before the test.

During the test your child will only be allowed to drink water.

Medications

Prescribed medications should be taken as normal prior to admission unless otherwise advised. Please bring with you all medications that your child is taking.

What happens after the test?

You will not be discharged until you have recovered from the test.

When will we get the results?

The results of the test will take about a month to be analysed. Your consultant may write to you with the results or discuss them at your next appointment.

What if we cannot attend the appointment?

Please try your best to come to this appointment. If you cannot make it, or you feel too unwell to come, please contact the Endocrine nurses on 0114 266 7815.