Giving An Insulin Injection To A Child With Diabetes: What Is Insulin And How Is It Given

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What is insulin and how is it given?

Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas. It lets sugar (glucose) enter body cells, where it is used for energy. It also helps the body store extra sugar in muscle and liver cells. The stored sugar can be released later and used for energy when needed.

Insulin for injection comes in small glass bottles, or vials, and cartridges; both are sealed with a rubber lid. One vial or cartridge contains many doses. To remove a dose of insulin from:

• A vial: Use an insulin syringe . The syringe is also used to inject the insulin.
• A cartridge: Use a pen-shaped device called an insulin pen. The cartridge fits inside the pen and the dose of insulin is set with a dial on the outside of the pen. The pen is used to give the insulin. Both disposable and reusable insulin pens are available. Each pen operates slightly differently.

Note: If your child is using an insulin pen, talk with your child's doctor or pharmacist about how to use the pen properly. Giving insulin with these pens is not covered in this information.

To give an insulin injection, the needle is inserted through the skin. The medicine is pushed from the syringe into fatty tissue just below the skin. Insulin usually is injected into the abdomen, upper arm, buttocks, or thigh.

Your child may need to take two types of insulin at the same time. Because most types of insulin that are prescribed to be taken at the same time can be mixed together, you can give both doses in the same syringe.

Continue to Why does my child need insulin?

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Last updated:	August 14, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine, Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology & Metabolism
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman