Diabetes Mellitus
What Went Wrong?
Certain foods are converted into glucose, which is the primary energy supply.
Insulin from beta cells of the pancreas transports glucose into cells for cell
metabolism.
Diabetes mellitus occurs when beta cells either are unable to produce
insulin (type 1 diabetes mellitus) or produces an insufficient amount of insulin
(type 2 diabetes mellitus). As a result, glucose doesn’t enter cells and remains
in the blood.
Increased glucose levels in the blood signal the body to increase the intake
of fluid to flush glucose out of the body in urine, resulting in increased thirst
and increased urination in the patient. Cells become starved for energy
because of the lack of glucose and signal the body to eat causing the patient
to experience an increase in hunger.
There are three types of diabetes mellitus:- Type 1: Known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).
Beta cells are destroyed by an autoimmune process. There is a
(^184) Pediatric Nursing Demystified
- A parent of a child who is diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism asks why her
child is fatigued and cold. What is the best response?
a. Explain that the thyroid controls metabolism and reduced thyroid hormones low-
ered the child’s metabolism.
b. Ask the parent to bring the child to the health-care provider immediately so that
the health-care provider can increase the child’s replacement hormone.
c. Ask the parent to bring the child to the health-care provider immediately so that
the health-care provider can decrease the child’s replacement hormone.
d. Ask the parent to take the child’s temperature.
Answer: - The patient is administered the dexamethasone suppression test. Cortisol is not sup-
pressed based on the test results. What does this indicate?
a. The patient has a hypothalamus tumor.
b. The patient has a pituitary tumor.
c. The patient has an adrenal or ectopic tumor.
d. The patient has a thalamus tumor.
Answer:
✔ ROUTINE CHECKUP 1