Is Your Diabetic Child Ready for an Insulin Pump?

 Insulin Pump Decisions

Whether it is after the first day of diagnosis; months or even a year later, parents will be faced with the decision of placing their Type 1 diabetic child on insulin pump therapy or continuing with Multiple Daily Injections, known as MDI.

The insulin pump is a medical device used for the administration of insulin in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (Juvenile Diabetes or Type 1 Diabetes), and is also known as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy.

Most endocrinologists will outline a plan to transition your child from daily shots to insulin pumps and will give a non-biased and informed suggestion on the brand of pump that would be best for your child. They will take into consideration the age of your child, maturity level to handle basic daily functionality of the pump, activity level of the child and any other health issues that might inhibit use of the pump.

 Discussing Pump Therapy with Your Child

If your child is old enough to really comprehend the use of the pump, you should find the time to discuss pumping and how it will affect their daily routine. Discussions around daily care, who will administer insulin through the pump, basic care for the pump and how the pump will be perceived by your child’s peers, should be covered. Your child should understand that wearing the pump is a 24 hour/7 day a week endeavor. He or she will be required to go to school, play, interact, socialize and sleep while wearing the pump. The only times pumps are removed are during strenuous activities (such as football, hockey, cheerleading, and other contact sports) or water activities (pools, oceans, etc.). If your child does not want to have a device sticking to them for most of the time and be seen by their close friends then this is the time to be honest.

Pumps do not completely eliminate the need for insulin injections. If blood sugars rise substantially, doctors recommend that a rapid acting insulin shot be given immediately to bring the blood sugar numbers back into acceptable levels, by passing the pump at that time. Pumps can and do malfunction so backup insulin shots will always be around.

Pumps are a very expensive item. Even with insurance, the deductible on a pump can run to about $1000. Most pumps are around the $5000. One pump, the OmniPod is a little less in cost since it is a disposable pumping device (a pod that sticks on the skin of the person) rather than a mechanical durable device. In addition to the upfront cost of the device, there is a monthly cost for disposable cartridges, tubing and batteries for the pump. Costs for these can run as much as $300-$500 per month depending again on how much insurance will pay.

Before making a final decision about pump therapy, you should talk to other parents about their experiences with using the pump and how it fits into their daily lives. How their children feel about pumping and how much support they receive from their school regarding diabetic care for their child.