Aa
insulin pump
My daughter was put on insulin at 3 for her diabetes.... we have had trouble keeping her levels stable... she has had some kidney problems but they have run several tests and think we are thru with that... My question is has anyone used an insulin pump on a 6 year old? Right now she is on 4 shots a day and takes 2 of them while at school...it is of course embarrassing to her and other kids make fun of her... so i was thinking maybe i should put her on the pump and maybe that would help with the teasing and such... she is only in kindergarten and i know kids that age can be cruel and once they get older they will be more understanding... i was just worried about the risk factors for putting her on the pump... she is very active...any advice you have is appreciated...
thanks
Holly
thanks
Holly
Hello again,
Any new news? Did you decide to read the storybook to your daughter's class?
If so, how did it go?
Have you talked with her doc again about the pump?
Warmest Regards,
SS
Any new news? Did you decide to read the storybook to your daughter's class?
If so, how did it go?
Have you talked with her doc again about the pump?
Warmest Regards,
SS
Hi there,
My son is 3 years old and just started on the pump. I think it is a wonderful alternative to injections. He goes to a preschool right now and , fortunately, they have been very accomodating thus far.
I think your daughter is ready for a pump now.
Jenny
My son is 3 years old and just started on the pump. I think it is a wonderful alternative to injections. He goes to a preschool right now and , fortunately, they have been very accomodating thus far.
I think your daughter is ready for a pump now.
Jenny
I am diabetic and a teacher. I tutor Kindergarten, 3rd and 5th grade. I test my blood sugar and give myself shots if I need to in front of my students. Maybe because I am a teacher I have only encountered nice comments and sympathy from the children. They think I am very brave for giving myself shots!!I have read the same book, as mentioned above, to my students and it helped them to understand. I once encountered a child that got nervous and thought they would catch diabetes-but some simple explaining helped and cleared all of that up. So, I think that the children do not know and therefore get nervous and say silly(to me silly)but hurtful to a little one like your daughter. Kids can be cruel and I always have the golden rule with my students--if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all! It works when I am there-but what happens when I am not-I do not know-I only hope they keep this bit of advice with them.
Hello again,
I think that her classmates need to hear it from YOU rather than her teacher because you know more about type 1 diabetes and YOUR daughter. The book, "Taking Diabetes to School," is great for her grade level.
My son used to love that he would be a Big Shot and have his classmates see him test his blood sugar.
I know that we, as parents cannot control everything, but from the time Charlie went to kindergarten up until this year (5th grade), I have talked to his class and altered my talk to fit their age. Next year is middle school and I an only talking to the teachers and the office staff, health tech., principal, etc. I will not be giving a talk to classmates because he will be in 6th grade and I have noticed, especially from this year that as they get older, the kids become nastier. It is like some of them look at him like, ew, there is something wrong with him....we don't want to be friends with him or he is different. I think when they are in kindergarten and first grade, they are more accepting if they are given a little info.
Keep in mind that most kids freak out if they get one shot and our kids have had to endure more than we can count. Of course, when I gave my talk I never said, Consider yourself lucky, but I let the kids know that Charlie's body does not make insulin, so he has to be given it. I brought up asthma and an inhaler because some kids might be a little familiar with it and said insulin was Charlie's medicine.
Find out who the kids are who are making fun of her or teasing her on the playground. Possibly, these kids can be in on a talk to with the principal present. Not a punishment, but a little education. They need to be told that they cannot cath it from her and there is nothing she did to get it. If my child was making fun of someone who had a chronic illness or just plain making fun of someone, I would want to know, so I could have a talk with my kid.
I am still so shocked about kindergarteners teasing her! Maybe because I arranged my talk at the very beginning of kindergarten, the kids had a little info. about Charlie and teasing was never an issue. Everyone was his friend. (this was at a different school than he is in now)
Please post again soon, so I can hear what happens.
It is great that your mom is there, but we cannot be there every minute and believe me, there are times I have thought about being a lunch / yard duty!
Take care.....
SS
I think that her classmates need to hear it from YOU rather than her teacher because you know more about type 1 diabetes and YOUR daughter. The book, "Taking Diabetes to School," is great for her grade level.
My son used to love that he would be a Big Shot and have his classmates see him test his blood sugar.
I know that we, as parents cannot control everything, but from the time Charlie went to kindergarten up until this year (5th grade), I have talked to his class and altered my talk to fit their age. Next year is middle school and I an only talking to the teachers and the office staff, health tech., principal, etc. I will not be giving a talk to classmates because he will be in 6th grade and I have noticed, especially from this year that as they get older, the kids become nastier. It is like some of them look at him like, ew, there is something wrong with him....we don't want to be friends with him or he is different. I think when they are in kindergarten and first grade, they are more accepting if they are given a little info.
Keep in mind that most kids freak out if they get one shot and our kids have had to endure more than we can count. Of course, when I gave my talk I never said, Consider yourself lucky, but I let the kids know that Charlie's body does not make insulin, so he has to be given it. I brought up asthma and an inhaler because some kids might be a little familiar with it and said insulin was Charlie's medicine.
Find out who the kids are who are making fun of her or teasing her on the playground. Possibly, these kids can be in on a talk to with the principal present. Not a punishment, but a little education. They need to be told that they cannot cath it from her and there is nothing she did to get it. If my child was making fun of someone who had a chronic illness or just plain making fun of someone, I would want to know, so I could have a talk with my kid.
I am still so shocked about kindergarteners teasing her! Maybe because I arranged my talk at the very beginning of kindergarten, the kids had a little info. about Charlie and teasing was never an issue. Everyone was his friend. (this was at a different school than he is in now)
Please post again soon, so I can hear what happens.
It is great that your mom is there, but we cannot be there every minute and believe me, there are times I have thought about being a lunch / yard duty!
Take care.....
SS
wow thanks so much!! i do have a lot of support at the school... the principal and everyone in the office knows about the condition also all the teachers that she comes in contact with know... It helps that my mom is the superintendent of schools here so i have an inside link to the school... I do let the nurse give her the shots now.. or the principal or vice principal if the nurse isn't available.... also since my mom is the superintendent she is just across the street and they call her at the sign of any problems... since i am a single parent I am not able to take off from my job at the drop of a hat unless it's an emergency...
The teacher has spoken to Reagan's class about her condition but i do think i will follow your advice and take that book you suggested up there and read it to them... Most of her teasing happens on the play ground when the teachers aren't around to hear it... Although her big sister is in the same school and has stopped some of it she can't be there for her sister all the time...
Her endo has suggested the pump before but i wanted to get another parents perspective before i did it :).. thanks again!!
The teacher has spoken to Reagan's class about her condition but i do think i will follow your advice and take that book you suggested up there and read it to them... Most of her teasing happens on the play ground when the teachers aren't around to hear it... Although her big sister is in the same school and has stopped some of it she can't be there for her sister all the time...
Her endo has suggested the pump before but i wanted to get another parents perspective before i did it :).. thanks again!!
Hello mom2girls,
I am a volunteer here and not a medical professional. My input is based on experience I have in caring for my son, now 11, who was diagnosed at age 3. He started on an insulin pump after 6-1/2 yrs of shots. He was 9 1/2.
I do believe that girls are more mature in a lot of ways. (I have a son and a daughter) So, she would probably benefit from the pump very much.
I have to tell you that we have experienced the exact opposite with our son. He was never teased in kindergarten or first grade, but now he is in 5th grade and kids, especially the boys can be not so nice, at times. (I am only speaking from experience at his school, of course) My heart goes out to your daughter and to you. I cannot believe such cruelty at such a young age. Have you ever talked to her class?
When my boy was in kindergarten, I read a story book called "Taking Diabetes to School" to the class and talked to the children a little about diabetes, so they knew they could not catch it, etc.
One of the reasons my son went on the pump was because I was not going to have to do the insulin injections at school because he was not ready to do so himself and I do not trust anyone at his school to do so. The pump has been an AWESOME experience for us and my son would never go back to shots. This comes straight from his mouth:)
I am so sorry to hear about what your daughter has had to endure. Possibly girls are more understanding in some ways when they get older, but, as I said, we have experienced the opposite with boys.
It is always important, as you know, for the teachers, school staff, substitutes, etc. to know who your child is and that she has type 1 diabetes. I think at this early age, it is important to give her peers a bit of info. That story book I mentioned is great for kindergarten and first graders. When I read it, I would mention how some people who have asthma have to take special medicine like using an inhaler and Charlie has to take insulin - that is his special medicine.
You need to have a talk with the teacher about these kids that are making fun of her. Sometimes kids (and adults) are afraid of what they do not understand.
Talk to your daughter's endocrinologist about the pump. I do not know the average age, but I can tell you that I have heard of children younger than 6 going on it.
Our experience with the pump has given Charlie the flexibility to eat more carbs at one time and we have managed to bring his A1C's down.
Please keep us posted. It angers me so, hearing about cruelty in kindergarten! I remember reading the story and demonstrating how he tests his BG and the kids were in awe...at least in kindergarten, 1st and 2nd....by third grade, he ran into some not so nice kids.
My sister is also living with type 1, but was dxd in early adulthood. I hate to say this because it sounds so negative, but there will be discrimination and ignorance. We cannot enlighten or educate everyone about diabetes, but we can do what we need to do as parents, for our wonderful children.
At times, I will have to let certain things that are said go in one ear and out the other, but there are certain things I will just not tolerate.
My son had a recent incident where another 5th grade boy said, "At least I'm not a diabetic." My son came back with, "At least I am not an idiot."
I had a talk with the child's mother and not only did I receive and apology from her and she had a talk with her son, but the next day, her son came up to my son and apologized to him.
6 year olds are still so young that we (the adults) need to make the impression on them. If you have not yet read the story book I mentioned, to the class, you should set that up with the teacher - where you take 15-20 min to talk to the kids on their level about your daughter. For those 20 minutes, she is the Brave, Courageous little girl and star of the classroom. Remember, she has to take shots of insulin because her body does not make insulin. Remind these kids about going to the doctor and getting a shot. Say in a sympathetic voice, "It is not much fun, is it?" Well, (your daughter's name) doesn't like shots much either, but it is her medicine so she can stay healthy and play. She can do anything that other 6 year olds can do, she just needs her special medicine called insulin.
Okay...I have a big mouth.
To sum it up, the kids need to be enlightened AND I am a big cheerleader for the pump!
Take care and hug your wonderful girl for all of us in some way affected by type 1 who can "feel ya."
SS
I am a volunteer here and not a medical professional. My input is based on experience I have in caring for my son, now 11, who was diagnosed at age 3. He started on an insulin pump after 6-1/2 yrs of shots. He was 9 1/2.
I do believe that girls are more mature in a lot of ways. (I have a son and a daughter) So, she would probably benefit from the pump very much.
I have to tell you that we have experienced the exact opposite with our son. He was never teased in kindergarten or first grade, but now he is in 5th grade and kids, especially the boys can be not so nice, at times. (I am only speaking from experience at his school, of course) My heart goes out to your daughter and to you. I cannot believe such cruelty at such a young age. Have you ever talked to her class?
When my boy was in kindergarten, I read a story book called "Taking Diabetes to School" to the class and talked to the children a little about diabetes, so they knew they could not catch it, etc.
One of the reasons my son went on the pump was because I was not going to have to do the insulin injections at school because he was not ready to do so himself and I do not trust anyone at his school to do so. The pump has been an AWESOME experience for us and my son would never go back to shots. This comes straight from his mouth:)
I am so sorry to hear about what your daughter has had to endure. Possibly girls are more understanding in some ways when they get older, but, as I said, we have experienced the opposite with boys.
It is always important, as you know, for the teachers, school staff, substitutes, etc. to know who your child is and that she has type 1 diabetes. I think at this early age, it is important to give her peers a bit of info. That story book I mentioned is great for kindergarten and first graders. When I read it, I would mention how some people who have asthma have to take special medicine like using an inhaler and Charlie has to take insulin - that is his special medicine.
You need to have a talk with the teacher about these kids that are making fun of her. Sometimes kids (and adults) are afraid of what they do not understand.
Talk to your daughter's endocrinologist about the pump. I do not know the average age, but I can tell you that I have heard of children younger than 6 going on it.
Our experience with the pump has given Charlie the flexibility to eat more carbs at one time and we have managed to bring his A1C's down.
Please keep us posted. It angers me so, hearing about cruelty in kindergarten! I remember reading the story and demonstrating how he tests his BG and the kids were in awe...at least in kindergarten, 1st and 2nd....by third grade, he ran into some not so nice kids.
My sister is also living with type 1, but was dxd in early adulthood. I hate to say this because it sounds so negative, but there will be discrimination and ignorance. We cannot enlighten or educate everyone about diabetes, but we can do what we need to do as parents, for our wonderful children.
At times, I will have to let certain things that are said go in one ear and out the other, but there are certain things I will just not tolerate.
My son had a recent incident where another 5th grade boy said, "At least I'm not a diabetic." My son came back with, "At least I am not an idiot."
I had a talk with the child's mother and not only did I receive and apology from her and she had a talk with her son, but the next day, her son came up to my son and apologized to him.
6 year olds are still so young that we (the adults) need to make the impression on them. If you have not yet read the story book I mentioned, to the class, you should set that up with the teacher - where you take 15-20 min to talk to the kids on their level about your daughter. For those 20 minutes, she is the Brave, Courageous little girl and star of the classroom. Remember, she has to take shots of insulin because her body does not make insulin. Remind these kids about going to the doctor and getting a shot. Say in a sympathetic voice, "It is not much fun, is it?" Well, (your daughter's name) doesn't like shots much either, but it is her medicine so she can stay healthy and play. She can do anything that other 6 year olds can do, she just needs her special medicine called insulin.
Okay...I have a big mouth.
To sum it up, the kids need to be enlightened AND I am a big cheerleader for the pump!
Take care and hug your wonderful girl for all of us in some way affected by type 1 who can "feel ya."
SS
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