ADN 421: Maternal Child Nursing II
Learning Unit 9: Handout
Page 1 of 4
Nursing Care Plan of Child with Diabetes
Diabetes Mellitus: A chronic disorder involving primarily carbohydrate metabolism and characterized by
partial and /or complete insulin inefficiency. The following are the two major types of diabetes:
a. Type 1: Destruction of pancreatic beta cells which produce insulin; this leads to insulin
deficiency
i. Called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile-onset diabetes
ii. Usually strikes children and young adults, although disease onset can occur at
any age
iii. Accounts for 5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes
b. Type 2: Arises secondary to insulin resistance. The body fails to use insulin properly in
conjunction with some insulin deficiency.
i. Called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
ii. Associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, history of
gestational diabetes, impaired glucose metabolism, physical inactivity, and
race/ethnicity
iii. Increasingly being diagnosed in children and adolescents
Assessment of Diabetic Client
Obtain a family history, especially regarding other family members who have diabetes.
Obtain a health history especially in regard to weight loss, frequency of drinking and voiding,
increased appetite, loss of energy, behavior changes.
Other symptoms of Type 1 diabetes are:
o The three polys which are the cardinal signs of diabetes
Polyphagia
Polyuria
Polydipsia
o Weight loss
o Child may have started wetting the bed
o Irritability and not acting like themselves
o Shortened attention span
o Dry skin
o Blurred vision
o Poor wound healing
o Flushed skin
o Headache
o Frequent infections – including yeast infections
o Symptoms of hyperglycemia
o Symptoms of hypoglycemia
o Symptoms of Diabetic Ketoacidosis
