My daughter has had type 1 for six years. Her A1cs have been around 7.5, but her latest was 7.0. She takes insulin injections twice daily, with an occasional third shot for extra food, if wanted. Most people we’ve met with type 1 are now on a pump. Should we consider changing to pump to improve her A1c? What is an acceptable Alc for a 10 year old? With a 7.0 A1c, is there damage occurring?

Great question. You may get different answers from different people.

In my opinion, 7.0 is very good for a 10 year old. I don’t know that it would be better with a pump. Maybe, maybe not. I do know you will have to commit to at least four insulin doses (boluses) and lots of testing. We have a lot of information about Insulin Pump Therapy on our web site. You can also ask your team about pumps and even try one. I do have patients who drop the A1c some with the pump, especially if they use all the features of the pump and really work at it, and it is work.

I really don’t think there is much risk of “damage” at 7.0. The research would support this conclusion.

LD