A conceptual framework for studying child adaptation to Type 1 diabetes

Understanding the challenges of managing a chronic illness, nurses provide a key component of care to patients and families who struggle daily with the demands of self-management and the balance of daily life challenges. Even though nurses empathize with the issues of chronic illness management, the complexity of managing such clients has not been articulated in a theoretical or research base. Hence, the nursing process related to facilitating adaptation to childhood chronic illness remains in a formative stage. My article presents a conceptual framework that can guide the study of children and families coping with children with Type 1 diabetes. The framework also may prove useful for other chronic illnesses.