Alison Venn-Wycherley on tips for preventing this common complication of diabetes injection through training on quick detection and perfecting injection technique

This article describes a recent training workshop to educate children’s nurses on injection technique best practice for diabetes, in particular, lipohypertrophy. The workshop was organised by the Forum for Injection Technique UK, the University of York, Leeds Children’s Diabetes Team and Becton Dickinson Signature Solutions, and attended by delegates from Leeds Children’s Hospital and the Children and Young Peoples Diabetes Network for Yorkshire and the Humber. The article discusses the causes of lipohypertrophy and the effect it can have on patient’s glycaemic levels. There is an emphasis on the importance of regularly inspecting children and young people with diabetes for lipohypertrophy – a common complication of diabetes injection – and promotes the motto ‘suspect, detect and protect’. The article also provides practical information for children’s nurses on how to examine for lipohypertrophic lesions and guidance on how they can be prevented by adhering to correct injection technique.