Case Study

Case Study

When a child is diagnosed with type 1 Diabetics, it is really needed to take complete care of the child and the whole family is affected by it. It is essential for the family members to provide support and care to the family. The parents should treat the child as healthy, and the child should not feel that he cannot do all those things which a healthy child can do. Proper medicine and diet plan are essential for the child, and his physical health should also be in good condition.

Scenario

Melissa is a 6-year-old girl who has been newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Her physician has ordered a treatment regimen that includes blood glucose monitoring and regular insulin injections four times a day. Melissa and her parents have come in to the medical clinic for follow-up and teaching regarding Melissa's condition and care needs.

Question 1. Impact of diet

Diabetics are a persistent disease, and in this situation the food is not completely absorbed in the body and further it cannot be used as a source of energy. The level of sugar in the blood is increased because the food is not absorbed properly. Insulin is not produced in the body of the patients who are suffering from diabetics. In Type 1 diabetics, the pancreatic beta cells are destroyed in the body, and they are not able to produce insulin (Bellows and Nichols, 2013).

A proper and planned diet can help in the control of blood sugar level of the body. Children who are suffering from diabetics should be allowed to eat sweet foods like cakes and sweets and carbohydrates should be omitted form the diet. For instance, potatoes, rice and pasta should not be included in the meal if the child is eating cakes and candies on a particular day. The daily meal for the child should be planned according to the decision of the child and the insulin should be given strictly on time (NIH, 2013).

Diabetics can produce effects on different parts of the body, therefore, extreme care should be taken of eyes, foot, kidneys, heart and other body organs. The child should brush her teeth properly because the risk of cavities in the teeth increases in Diabetics. The parents should protect the feet of the child, and there should be no injuries and cuts in the feet and water intake of the child should be higher to avoid any dryness of the skin. Diabetics can also cause cataracts, blindness and kidney failure (Gattullo & Edelman, 2009).

Question 2. Importance of Insulin

Insulin helps in maintaining the blood sugar level of the body. In healthy circumstances, insulin is produced by pancreas, and it is a hormone which facilitates the sugar to enter into the blood stream. Carbohydrates of the body are breakdown into sugar and later they enter into the bloodstream by which the level of blood glucose in maintained. Therefore, in diabetic condition the beta cells are destroyed in pancreas which inhibits the production of insulin and it is necessary to ...