November 16, 2004
Daily Care, Insulin Pumps
Question from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA:
My seven year old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 in August 2004. Her recent A1c was 7.8, which I was told was good. At times, her control is good and at other times, usually at night, she’s in the 200s mg/dl [11.1 to 16.0 mmol/L] at 12 a.m. and 3 a.m. She receives NPH and Humalog at bedtime, which I have been increasing to try and lower her at nighttime and in the morning when are readings vary from 120 to 170 mg/dl [6.7 to 9.4 mmol/L].
Obviously, I worry about nighttime lows with the increased insulin. Would an insulin pump help with nighttime highs with a lower risk of hypoglycemia? At what age or length of disease is a child considered a candidate for a pump? I am a nurse and have seen first hand the devastating effects diabetes can have when good control is not obtained. I spoke with my child’s doctor, but was told she should be diagnosed for at least six months or maybe wait until she is out of the honeymoon period.
Answer:
An insulin pump can help micromanage diabetes at any time after diagnosis. In addition to providing an easier way to dose for meals, pumps allow you to vary the “basal rate” of insulin delivery to best meet one’s needs. If you have continued interest in using an insulin pump, I would encourage you to talk with your physician again to see if your child may benefit from a pump.
MSB
