Exploring homeostasis in children, the body’s dynamic balancing act
Intended for healthcare professionals
CPD    

Exploring homeostasis in children, the body’s dynamic balancing act

Agnes Hwekwete Senior lecturer in nurse education, School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, England
Chiara Baiocchi Senior lecturer in children’s nursing, College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare, University of West London, London, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To enhance your understanding of the homeostatic regulation of physiological variables in the human body

  • To increase your awareness of the dangers of homeostatic dysregulation in children and young people

  • To contribute towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD (UK readers)

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

Homeostasis can be described as the dynamic process within an organism designed to maintain a relatively constant internal environment that is conducive to the optimal functioning of cells, enzymes and organs. To regulate physiological variables, homeostasis relies on mechanisms called negative and positive feedback loops. However, certain factors can disrupt homeostatic processes, leading to dysregulation and disease. This article provides an overview of homeostasis, including negative and positive feedback loops and dysregulation. The authors use a fictional case study – an adolescent girl with type 1 diabetes who develops diabetic ketoacidosis – to illustrate the adverse effects of homeostatic dysregulation and demonstrate the relevance of understanding homeostasis in children’s nursing.

Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2024.e1536

Peer review

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

Correspondence

agnes.hwekwete@roehampton.ac.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Hwekwete A, Baiocchi C (2024) Exploring homeostasis in children, the body’s dynamic balancing act. Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2024.e1536

Published online: 18 November 2024

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