Diabetes management goes high tech for kids
Yes, there’s an app for that
Image via WikipediaThe use of an insulin pump is becoming more prevalent in children with Type I and II diabetes; Nicholson has prescribed it for children as young as 16 months.
“The pump is quite beneficial for very young children,” Nicholson said. “It is capable of delivering 1/40th of a unit of insulin, which may be all that a small child needs at a given time. The smallest dose an insulin syringe or pen can deliver is a half unit.”
Insulin pumps are worn 24 hours a day and deliver rapid-acting insulin around the clock through a catheter placed under the skin, eliminating the need for daily insulin shots. By the age of 10 or 11, most children can be trained to use the pump and change the insulin set (a needle and catheter) as needed, about every two to three days......
“Using a USB port, they can download data from the pump to their computer, then email it to my office,” Nicholson said. “Then a doctor or nurse can see how much insulin the child is getting and make sure they are testing the pump and changing their insulin set on schedule.”
Many children with diabetes wear a glucose meter, which can be used in conjunction with an insulin pump, syringe or pen. This device is worn on the skin and measures blood glucose levels hundreds of times a day, sounding an alarm if levels get too low or too high....
Glucose meter is a medical device used to measure the amount of sugar in the blood.The blood sample is usually just a drop of blood taken by pricking the finger with a lancet provided.This is placed in a test strip which is inserted into the device to read the amount of sugar in the blood.Some device do not use strips.This device helps diabetics monitor their blood sugar at home with out the need to always go to the laboratory for test.
Diabetic patients,Type I and Type II, need to monitor their blood sugar constantly.This will help them regulate their calorie intake when the reading is high and to increase when blood sugar is low to avoid hypoglycemia.Diabetic patients on medications need to always follow their doctor's orders when to take their medications and meals.Taking medicines with out eating proper meals might lead to lowered blood sugar that can become life threatening and prompt action is needed.Hyperglycemia which is increase in blood sugar could be prevented to avoid complications.
The invention of the insulin pump and use of glucose meter is a great help for diabetic patients since the insulin pump delivers the exact amount of insulin needed while the glucose meter helps monitor blood sugar.The insulin pump makes it easy for diabetics to get their proper dose of insulin as needed by their bodies. Education and having the self discipline to diet,exercise and willingness to implement life style changes could greatly improve the quality of life for diabetic patients.
