Diabetes Treatment

Choosing A Blood Glucose Meter For Children

 
A blood glucose meter is a portable device, and something that all diabetics cannot live without. Constantly monitoring blood glucose fluctuations is very important since blood glucose values often dictate how the healthcare team attending you can best deliver treatment.

But, blood glucose monitoring is most important for parents whose children are diagnosed with diabetes, specifically type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. Parents need to monitor their children’s glucose levels so that appropriate measures can be set in place and that the symptoms can be staved off. But, above all, children who depend entirely on insulin injections need to keep watch of their blood glucose levels. Doing so will not only help them find a rest from constantly high blood glucose levels, but will help them function more normally.

So what is type 1 diabetes? Also called juvenile diabetes, type 1 diabetes is a condition that is charcaterized by the pancreas’ lack of capacity to produce its own insulin. Insulin is the hormone that allows the delivery of glucose into individual cells to give them energy. Without this ability, all cells in the body will lack the energy to continue performing at their optimal capacity, leaving the patient very weak and bodily functions compromised. Also, without insulin, the bloodstream will be flooded with so much glucose or sugar, which leads to a host of uncomfortable diabetes symptoms.

To prevent symptoms like frequent urination, increased thirst, increased appetite, constant fatigue and others, you have to keep blood glucose levels under control. Among the best ways of doing this is by using blood glucose meter. Blood glucose meters comes in all shapes and sizes, and depending on the manufacturer and brand, in a variety of technologies.

To know which one can help best, the following pointers can be considered:

Cost - Some devices are cheap, in fact, many manufacturers even give them away for free. So you shouldn’t be paying a lot for a blood glucose meter. But, remember that these companies do not give their products away at a very low cost because of purely altruistic reasons. You should beware of the test strips that are used alongside these devices. When considering a blood glucose meter, check first the price of the test strips that are compatible with the product. This should be anywhere from 50 cents to one dollar per strip. You might use three or more of these strips every day to continually monitor your child’s blood glucose levels.

Insurance – Like blood glucose meters manufacturers, insurance companies also provide coverage for the device, but not usually on the test strips. Be sure to check with your provider regarding the coverage your child will get in terms of his diabetic expenses.

Ease of use – Look for convenience when buying a glucometer. Your child should be able to use it on his own without supervision to see whether it is easy enough to be used. It should also be light enough to be carried around since your child will have to take it with him on a constant basis. If you or your child has vision problems, it is best to stick with a glucometer that has a mid-sized to large display screen so both of you would not have difficulty reading the values.

Built-in memory – Some blood glucose meters come with a built-in memory that is powerful enough to record up to a few hundred readings. If your child manages to be on his own a lot, you should try getting him one that has good memory capacity so you can keep track of the trends on the fluctuations of blood glucose levels.
 
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