A 17-year-old boy with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes presents with vomiting and abdominal pain. You diagnose diabetic ketoacidosis. In children an...

Question

A 17-year-old boy with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes presents with vomiting and abdominal pain. You diagnose diabetic ketoacidosis. In children and young people, what is a key difference in fluid management compared with adults?

Accepted Answer

Use carefully calculated, slower intravenous fluid replacement to reduce risk of cerebral oedema

Answer

Use very rapid fluid boluses totalling >60 mL/kg in the first hour

Answer

Avoid intravenous fluids and encourage oral intake only

Answer

Always treat with half-normal saline from the start

Answer

Give no potassium supplementation regardless of serum levels

uk-plab-1 MCQ (SBA): Paediatric diabetic ketoacidosis

A 17-year-old boy with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes presents with vomiting and abdominal pain. You diagnose diabetic ketoacidosis. In children and young people, what is a key difference in fluid management compared with adults?