Hello T1P! I'm a newbie with a 6 year old daughter diagnosed on April 23. We just got her Dex CGM in yesterday and are so excited to get going with it, but I have a question… If we end up placing the sensor/transmitter on her stomach then she wears a tummietote or fanny pack style pouch to carry the receiver could those items end up knocking the sensor around? Perhaps once we get the 1st sensor on I'll realize that it's nothing to worry about but until then does anyone have any advice. I know there will be times when she will need to have the receiver on her person & I'm not sure where that would be for a 6 year old. I've thought about putting the sensor on the back of her arm, but I'm not sure how she'll feel about people seeing it as she is a girly-girl. Guess I'll have to discuss it with her. Thanks for indulging me thinking out loud.
My daughter got her CGM ay age 11, she is now 13. She wears hers on the back of her arm. As a young teen, she of course cares about her "fashion statement"; however, I think she wears it proudly. Other kids sometimes ask her about it and she gives a brief explanation. It really is "no big deal" according to her. In fact a boy in her class told her his mom is a Type 1 and also has one!
My 11 year old wears her omnipod and dex transmitter on her tummy and runs with a spi-belt. They make kid-size spi-belts. They are so small and easy to position.
We also use a tally gear case that you can clip onto a belt loop, etc.
If you have adhesion issues, there are tapes and liquid adhesives. We’re getting 1.5 - 2.5 weeks from a sensor without anything extra. Those things do help if we’re swimming a lot.
You’re going to love the dex this summer! It’s great to have the receiver with you while your kid runs around at the park or a friend’s house. Actually it’s great in the car and at night and almost all the time!
Hi, I'm happy to hear that you took the CGM leap - I am sure you will find the information so interesting and useful. My 6 yr old wears his CGM on the back of his waist - on his "love handles"; we have gotten good results here. We also recommend extra tape to keep the set on - as my son's DEX was coming off at 7 days without any extra taping. We use flexifix and have been very happy with it. As far as wearing the CGM we use a SPIBELT as well and feel comfortable with the jostling that comes with a 6yr old's activity and have had no interference. Haven't tried the arm yet, my little guy is resistant, although our Dr. recommends good rotation as he also wears a Medtronic Pump. Good luck!
Our 8 year old daughter wears her insulin pump and her Dex receiver around her waist in a tummie tote from tally gear. The tummie tote has not interfered with the Dex sensor transmitter, but we did find that her belt/fanny pack style pump carriers did rub up against the Dex. I am in the process of ordering another tally gear tummy tote. The other thing is that the Dex receiver is so light she often clips it on to her skirt waist or pants waist with the little leather holder depending on what activity she is participating in. (Tally gear has Dex cases too) Good luck and have fun. Sophia loves her Dexie, hope your daughter will too.
My 10-year old daughter started on the Dex about 3 weeks ago and now I don't know how we lived over a year without it! She has been wearing it on her arm, and we got almost 2 weeks out of the first sensor, probably could have gotten longer. She wears both her pump and her Dex receiver in a tummietote from Tallygear. She takes the receiver to school and then I pretty much keep it with me once she gets home. We've been able to head off several highs and lows much quicker with Dex.
Thanks for your response Wren. I was able to get a training appointment for tomorrow. We are so excited to be on our way, and I'm super excited about getting some sleep!
You mentioned getting 1.5-2.5 weeks from your sensor which is something I've read other parents mention as well, but I'm unclear of how you "trick" the Dex into using the same sensor beyond the 7 days. I've tried to do some research on-line because I'm assuming the trainer won't tell me how to do it. Do you simple end the sensor session, then start it again on the receiver with the same sensor in or do you have to move the sensor a little before starting the new session. I'd be grateful for any advice you have. I'm all for getting some extra time out of those sensors!
Thanks for the response Kj. I'd actually like for my girl to wear her Dex on the back of her waist, but she won't even discuss it. In fact she won't let me give her injections there either. It's funny how they get resistant over certain places on their bodies. Guess it gives them a little sense of control.
I'm curious as to how you & he like the Medtronic Pump. That's the pump our endo is keen on, but my husband is worried about the tubing with a 6 yr old. We're not ready for any pump just yet, but it can't hurt to gather some opinions from those with experience. Thanks
You are so welcome:) My son was resistant to the back of his waist too, but the CDE really encouraged (nicely pushed) it and we have put it there ever since. If your daughter is scared of the insertion, you may want to talk with your Endo about numbing cream. It numbs the site and the kids don't feel the insertion. My little guy is more willing to changes sets/sensors this way.
In terms of the Medtronic pump, we were originally concerned about the tubing on a pump as well, but after almost a year, we have had NO issues with it. Even at school, the kids seem to really respect him and his devices. And, on occasion when he has dropped it, it has not dislodged his set. The pump gives the kids so much more flexibility in terms of their eating and corrections can be given sooner. Since my son has been wearing his CGM and we have the pump we are able to see trends/rises/falls and respond to them quite easily and swiftly. The pump/CGM combination has given us the most control and window into his world.
Good luck and you are welcome to ask questions when ever you have them and we will all try and support you:)
You simply start a new session without changing the sensor. It will go through the 2 hour warm up and then request calibration.
I can get about three weeks of useful life from mine. As a grown-up I place mine on the outer rim of none of the girls. It's protected by my bra and no one knows it's there. When your daughter develops it a possible site to consider.
Be aware when your sensor finally dies that it may give you the ??? or it may crash and ping you at 40and dropping hard when in fact you are normal and steady.
Many similarities to Wren's daughter! My 11-year-old also uses the OmniPod pump and Dexcom. Dexcom rotates from arm to arm, and OmniPod rotates from outer thighs to tummy to upper butt to the arm not occupied by the Dexcom. She uses a kid-sized Spi-Belt with two pockets, one pocket for the Dexcom receiver, the other pocket for a zip-lock containing a "dose" of Skittles for a low. She has an Overland Express purse that is just the right size to hold her OmniPod "kit", spare pod, insulin, wipes, test strips, pokie, meter which is build into the OmniPod PDM, juice box, and additional skittles, mobile phone. Sounds like a lot, but it all fits quite nicely into this smallish cross-body purse. If she's just running around the neighborhood in the vicinity of our house, she'll often just have her Dexcom receiver and low BG treatment Skittles in her Spi-Belt on her. We swear by I.V. Prep to keep her Pod adhered (sometimes have to shore this up with a little Opsite Flexifix) and Opsite Flexifix (with a window cut out for the transmitter) to keep her Dexcom sensor/transitter on securely. We've just surpassed day 14 on a sensor for the first time despite the fact that she's been in and out of the neighbor's pool all week! Like Wren said, the two-pocket Spi-Belt in less bulky than a Tummitote and can be arranged so the belt is either above or below where you place the Dexcom sensor on your daughter's tummy.
I don't think the Tummietote will interfere with Dex at all, just make sure to use strong adhesive like Skin Tac as a wipe. Tummie is a wide band and has velcro so you can make it snug. It's very well made. I also like the band-it style pump packs that look just like the spi belt but made of sturdier material so it holds its shape. They are made by a company called MyPumptastik. I use one for myself as a waistpack for walking/running. Love the spibelts which are made of spandex but you need to put an old bank card it so it holds its shape. If you don't do this, the pump or anything else you put in the pack can flop or jump out when you open it. Prevented by use of the old credit card though. Also the pump bands sold by pumpwear are much lighter than the tote. My faves are definitely the pumptasticks with side zippers. You will find a lot of packs you can use that work well