June 21, 2001
Insulin Pumps
Question from Carbon Hill, Alabama, USA:
My 10 year old son has had type 1 diabetes since he was four and is on an insulin pump. His sites are getting red and they itch from using the only two sites that we know we can use. He can’t use the area around his belly button because he has knots where he use to inject his insulin. Are there any other sites on the body that we can use, besides the belly?
Answer:
Any “fatty” area can be used as an insertion site. The tops of the hips seem to be popular, especially with active boys. In addition, the abdomen is usually a fairly large space, and the set can be inserted on the edge of the lipoatrophic spots.
If your son is experiencing redness and itching, he have a problem with the adhesive. You might try using some sort of barrier (like Nu-Skin) first and then applying the tape. Talk it over with your son’s diabetes team.
SS
