I’ve been doing some research about insulin pump therapy. How I choose the right insulin pump for my four year old son?

All the pumps have advantages and disadvantages. Some have a child block feature, some can do basal rates in very small amounts, and some are more “user friendly” than others as well.

I would recommend perusing the web sites for all the different manufacturers and then sitting down with a diabetes pump educator (or at least a representative from the companies you’re interested in) to have a “hands on” session with the various pumps so you can get a sense of which pumps you’d be most comfortable with. It’s also critical to make sure that your insurance company will cover whichever pump you decide upon.

In addition, as always, learn carbohydrate-insulin ratios and corrective doses before going on a pump. It’ll make the pump therapy more effective and your transition over easier. Also, with a seven and a half year old, it is critical that you identify school personnel who are willing and able to help with insulin dosing for meals and snacks and with troubleshooting in the event of a pump problem.

It is critical with a four year old that your team have experience with very young children on pumps since their insulin requirements are very different than that seen in teens and adults on pump therapy.

LAD