Pediatric Insulin Injection Site

MMiz

MMiz

I put the M in EMTLife
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After a family debate at the dinner table, and far too many google searches, I'm wondering where do you put it and why.
 
Here's a good website with the explanations for each site.

http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_insulgiv_hhg.htm

Insulin is injected into the fat layer beneath the skin. The best places to give insulin are the abdomen, arms, thighs and buttocks. You should rotate injection sites. If your child doesn't like to have shots in one of these areas, then you should rotate the shots between the other areas and skip the area that bothers your child. Shots should not only be rotated from site to site but also within the site itself. For example, there might be 6 different places on the thigh that you can use. This way your child can have a shot in over 50 different spots, before having to have a shot in the same place again. For example, see injection rotation chart.


Tips
  • Insulin should NOT be injected just before a bath, shower, or hot tub. The warm water will draw more blood to the skin, causing the insulin to be absorbed quickly. This can cause a serious low blood sugar reaction.
  • Do not give a shot into an area that is swollen.
  • Insulin is absorbed more rapidly from the abdomen than from the arm, and more rapidly from the arm than from the thigh or buttock. This difference is not noticeable for most people. If you do notice a difference, you may want to use one site for morning shots and another site for dinner shots. For example, the abdomen or arm might be used in the morning when you may want the insulin to be absorbed quickly. The thigh or buttock might be used in the evening when you want the insulin to be absorbed slowly so that it will last through the night.
  • Insulin is absorbed quicker if it is given in an area that is then exercised. Giving insulin into an arm or leg which will be used during exercise may result in low blood sugars during exercise. For example, if your child is going to play tennis, don't give a shot into the arm that will be used to swing the racquet.
Click to expand...

Here is another good website:

http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/download/hanas_insulin.pdf
 
Last edited by a moderator:
to quote lexi-comp's pediatric dosage handbook (the one we use at the hospital)

"...usually made into the subcutaneous fat of the thigh, arms, buttocks, or abdomen... only regular insulin may be administered IM"
 
from family experience the thigh was the first choice, abdomen some times but there was rarely a need.
 
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