26: When You’re Not Ready to Put Your Kid on a Pump

Sweet Talk for Parents of Kids with Type One Diabetes

Being skeptical and fearful of the new technology of an insulin pump is real for many T1D parents. Is it reliable? Will it do what it’s supposed to do? Annie, a friend and fellow T1D mom, joins us to read a listener question from “Resistant” in California. Join us!

Show Highlights:

• Listener Question from “Resistant”: “I’m feeling a lot of pressure to put my six-year-old daughter on a pump, and I really don’t want to. The only downside to multiple daily injections for us is that the back of her arms are a little bruised. I don’t want to learn something else and have to manage the ins and outs of new technology. Is it bad if I say NO? I just don’t trust it and am afraid it will fail.”
• JoAnne’s Answer: “Some people put their kids on pumps as soon as possible, and others don’t want to do it. It is possible to have ‘good enough control’ with multiple daily injections. Even with all our diabetes technology, the truth is that A1C averages for diabetics have not changed much across the decades. Multiple daily injections can accomplish the same thing as an insulin pump. When first going on a pump, there is a learning curve with a lot of new things to figure out. It’s understandable that someone might feel overwhelmed with having to learn new things. It sounds like this mom is only hearing the pump horror stories, so there is nothing wrong with saying NO to the pump as long as other strategies are working. If the bruising on the arms becomes painful, she might want to shift to a pump, if possible. There is a lot more flexibility for your kids out in the world when they are on a pump because there is a phobia about giving shots to a child; I think there is more partnership available with the use of a pump. Both school and playdates become problematic as a child gets older without a pump. The mom might need to stretch and consider what is best for the child at that point and what the child might want. We do our kids a disservice when we ALWAYS take their lead, but we have to look at the bigger picture of what’s best for everyone involved. The mom should be careful about voicing her resistance to the child and influencing the child’s opinion about the pump. Some kids like technology and the idea of being the ‘cool kid’ wearing ‘the thing’ and are open to the pump. When the situation is reversed, the parent has to convince the reluctant child to wear the pump. Different parenting styles (authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative) come into play in setting limits, but validation is always the key in acknowledging their feelings about what they have to do. Again, as we discussed in the previous episode, a ‘pump vacation’ is possible to allow more flexibility in their lives.”

Resources:

Visit my website for available resources and upcoming courses/webinars: www.diabetessweettalk.com

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*For help with the emotional and parenting challenges of facing T1D management, join one of our live recording sessions by clicking the banner at the top of the website homepage.

*For help in diabetes management, check out Sweet Talk’s Put Diabetes In Its Place coaching course. This is the course I wish I’d had when my kids were diagnosed.

*For a more hopeful future for you and your T1D child, consider the After Diagnosis coaching course. It’s designed specifically for parents whose child was diagnosed within the last year. Let me help you find a faster path to calm.

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