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.

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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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Diabetes strikes at any age. But one type of diabetes is particularly notorious towards very young patients. It’s called Type 1 Diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes.

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Although juvenile diabetes is not exclusive among children, it’s relatively high prevalence in the younger population make it a root of concern for parents whose children were diagnosed with this chronic, insulin-dependent condition. There are many things that a child with juvenile diabetes needs. Some of them are discussed below:

Blood glucose meter or glucometer – The first and one that should be at the top of your list of priorities is the glucometer. This is a portable device that measures the glucose levels in the blood of the patient. You don’t normally have to pay a high price to get this device since manufacturers sell these at a very low price. Also, many insurance companies provide coverage for this device. When considering a particular brand or model, it is best to first check the price and availability of compatible test strips. This is because these strips usually have a huge cut on the expenses incurred on monitoring blood glucose levels. Test strips are usually priced at around $1 per piece, but it is not uncommon to find 50 cent per piece strips.

Insulin pen – An insulin pen is a portable insulin delivery system that looks very much like a regular pen. This injects controlled doses of insulin into the bloodstream without the need for a health care personnel’s assistance. There are two types of insulin pens: the pre-filled pen and the durable pen. The former is a disposable pen that contains pre-mixed insulin and the latter is a pen that only needs cartridge replacements. There is, however, a new type of insulin pen that has built-in memory. This can contain up to a hundred values which should make recording of time, date and insulin dosage easier for the user.

Emergency glucose tablet – This diabetic product for children is one way of controlling insulin reaction. Whereas adults use candy and other sweets, diabetic children are administered with emergency glucose tablets that deliver precise amounts of glucose into the bloodstream to normalize blood glucose levels. Although a lot of people see these as candy substitutes, these do not look like candy at all so parents and teachers will not have any problem with missing glucose tablets.

Insulin pump – Otherwise known as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy, an insulin pump is a medical device that is used to administer insulin to treat symptoms of diabetes mellitus. This device comprises of a pump, a disposable reservoir that is attached inside the pump, and a disposable infusion set. Taking the price out of the equation, an insulin pump is a good alternative to daily injections of insulin using injections products since it makes a person do away with multiple insulin injections. When used alongside a carb counting device and a blood glucose monitoring device, this can make for an intensive insulin therapy.

Injection products – Many children run away from injection products like syringes and needles. This should not be the case, however. Parents should help condition their children’s thinking towards injection products.

Lancets and lancet devices – These are devices used to draw blood samples for blood glucose testing. The priority in choosing these products is to find those that could give the least discomfort to their users.

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