Effective management of type 1 diabetes in children and young people
Intended for healthcare professionals
CPD    

Effective management of type 1 diabetes in children and young people

Libby Dowling College Nurse, Queen’s College, London, England, and former senior clinical adviser, Diabetes UK, London, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To enhance your knowledge of what the optimal management and monitoring of type 1 diabetes entails

  • To improve your practice in providing support to children with type 1 diabetes and their families

  • To count towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD, or you may wish to write a reflective account (UK readers)

  • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers)

Type 1 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes among children and young people, and requires careful management to ensure that blood glucose levels stay as close as possible to the target range. Suboptimal management can lead to serious health consequences, including damage to various organs and body systems. Many children with type 1 diabetes are not diagnosed until they develop diabetic ketoacidosis, which is distressing and potentially life-threatening.

This article provides an overview of the management of type 1 diabetes in children and young people, including the insulin replacement therapy and dietary management required. It also emphasises the importance of regular and ongoing monitoring of blood glucose levels, quarterly measurement of glycated haemoglobin, and the management of hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia.

Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2021.e1310

Peer review

This article has been subject to open peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

Correspondence

edowling@qcl.org.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Dowling L (2021) Effective management of type 1 diabetes in children and young people. Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2021.e1310

Accepted 9 June 2020

Since writing and reviewing this work updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance has been produced and readers can access that at www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng18

Published online: 11 January 2021

Want to read more?

RCNi-Plus
Already have access? Log in

or

3-month trial offer for £5.25/month

Subscribe today and save 50% on your first three months
RCNi Plus users have full access to the following benefits:
  • Unlimited access to all 10 RCNi Journals
  • RCNi Learning featuring over 175 modules to easily earn CPD time
  • NMC-compliant RCNi Revalidation Portfolio to stay on track with your progress
  • Personalised newsletters tailored to your interests
  • A customisable dashboard with over 200 topics
Subscribe

Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now


Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more