I am looking for a pump for my 9 year old boy. He has be t1 since 2years old. been on shots for all those years. We were waiting for him to be interested in the pump instead of forcing it on him. He has started asking a lot of questions. So being the tech geek dad I go looking for the best that I can get him, But get more confused the more I read. MM seems to be the big name out there but then you read up on them and they may be big but are they the right one. Then the Omni pod no tube... and water proof but no cgm... then just read up on a couple of foreign pump companies and they look like they are going above and beyond the MM. (www.nilimedix.com & www.orsense.com/Glucose) but do not know how soon they will be available and accepted by US insurance companies. Can you all give me some basic pro's and con's for what is out there.
Hi Skylar’s dad,
You may want to check out:
http://www.tudiabetes.org/group/parentsofpumpers
http://www.tudiabetes.org/group/parentsofkidswithtype1
Lorraine’s son Caleb is on the the Omnipod. http://www.tudiabetes.org/profile/Lorraine66.
Hi Skylar’s dad! Yes, I know how overwhelming this decision can be!
The best advice that I can give is to contact each of the pump companies and have their representatives come to your house or meet at your doctor’s office. They will show you the pump and explain the pro’s. The cons are better read on Forums 
I think that all the pumps are “good”, but there are different advantages and disadvantages.
I have used the Cozmo and now the Minimed 722. Functionally both work fine, but I found the Cozmo much more user-friendly. Unfortunately the Deltec Cozmo left the market, but i think another equally user-friendly pump is the Animas Ping. A good start would be to call the Animas and the OmniPod representatives and see if you can meet with them. Sometimes they organize occassional group sessions. In my experience, they were ready to help when I was deciding on a pump (but of course they are advertisting their own pump, but it gives you a lot of information).
The MM has a built in CGMS, but many people find that the other available CGMS are more accurate.
Also, if there is a JDRF support group in the area, you might get to see other kids pumps all at once, which would help Skylar as well.
Skylar’s Dad,
I share your feelings. My son Santi is T1 since 2 yrs old. We are using the OMNIPOD three months after he was diagnosed.
My testimony to you is simple: Our experience with OMNIPOD has been terrific. We also used syringes for three months, so I can reaaly compare the management of his diabetes before & after the pump.
You will go through a leraning period on getting used to it, but the benefits are huge. For instance, you will be able to set different basal rates throughout the day & night. You could also change his basal temporarily - Temp basal – for instance when sock or playing for a long time etc.
One thing I do not like about pumping is that with the injections, insulin absortion rate is quicker tha through the canula on the pump. But the convenience of not having to inject all the time and the ability to change basals is really worth it
We stayed away from all the pumps with tubes. OMNIPOD is the only one we saw worth it & our experience with customer service has been great. Good luck
thebig ones you need to look at:
Minimed
Animas Ping
Omnipod
these are the biggest sellers in the US right now. the international pumps you mentioned will not be available in the US market any time soon. Go to your son’s endocrinologist and ask them about the pumps - they will either have them on-site for you to play with, or they will be able to refer you to another practice that will allow you to learn more about the individual pumps.
As you consider the variety of pumps that are out there, you need to become familiar with pumping therapy. I strongly suggest you go to Amazon and get a copy of “Pumping Insulin” by John Walsh. A lot of your questions will be answered and he also discusses the various pumps.
I agree that you and your son meet with representatives from the pumping companies. Sometimes that have demo pumps that are filled with saline that can be used by your son to help you decide what you want or even if pumping is for him.
My daughter is 10 and got a pump in February after being dx at the end of December. I wanted an Omnipod for her; she wanted a Ping. We tried them both in advance, which I highly recommend. She wore them each for the full 3 days. She thought that the Omnipod was pinchy when she moved and it felt like an intrusive lump. She also didn’t like the amount of waste, since you throw the whole pod away every 3 days (although I believe they have a recycling program). We got a Ping, and I though the tubing would be a real pain, but it is not.
I highly, highly recommend getting one with a hand-held device. She boluses herself from the pump, and I can do it from the hand held. Super convenient to have this choice.
Good luck!
We also have a ping and I think it’s a great choice for children. I was worried that with the Omnipod he would lose the controller; in fact, I’m pretty sure it would have happened. With the ping he can dose himself wherever he is without the meter, or we can dose him with the meter when he’s with us. He’s pretty independent and often doses himself while he’s out and about (he’s 8) but I certainly don’t let him carry around the meter/remote. Another thing I love is that I can dose him at night if he’s high without digging out his pump. I had to once, and it woke him up more than just giving him an injection would have. We love it.
I know it’s a rough choice–good luck!