How do kids react to your insulin pump?
This is my third year teaching. The past two years I've taught first grade, and haven't explained my insulin pump to my students. When asked what it was I just said something like 'don't worry about it' and moved on. I wasn't sure how to explain it to small children.
This year I'm teaching kindergarteners, and I decided to take the plunge into telling them. I showed it to them today (4th day of school) and explained things very simply.... 'I have diabetes. That means something inside of me isn't working right. This little machine gives me medicine so I can feel good when I eat, like you do.' Literally, that was all I told them.
I got a few questions about where the tube goes into me (inserted in my hip now), does it hurt, can I take it off, etc.
But honestly......they were way more interested in seeing if I could make it make noise, wanted to know if they could press buttons (they can't, of course), and one kid said he wants to get one for his dad for Christmas (his dad's not diabetic)!
Too funny :)
Those of you who pump...how do/have children react(ed) to your pump?
This year I'm teaching kindergarteners, and I decided to take the plunge into telling them. I showed it to them today (4th day of school) and explained things very simply.... 'I have diabetes. That means something inside of me isn't working right. This little machine gives me medicine so I can feel good when I eat, like you do.' Literally, that was all I told them.
I got a few questions about where the tube goes into me (inserted in my hip now), does it hurt, can I take it off, etc.
But honestly......they were way more interested in seeing if I could make it make noise, wanted to know if they could press buttons (they can't, of course), and one kid said he wants to get one for his dad for Christmas (his dad's not diabetic)!
Too funny :)
Those of you who pump...how do/have children react(ed) to your pump?
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by joeynicole on -
My nephews were young when I had my pump (I wore one for 2 years). They were genuinely curious and thought it was pretty cool when I told them it delivered my insulin so I didn't have to take shots anymore.
-
Permalink Reply by acidrock23 on -
When I first got it, I was going to Tae Kwon Do classes like 5-6 days/ week. I took one day off to make sure I knew how to use it and wouldn't blow up. It fit very nicely tucked in my belt but several kids were like "is that a CELL PHONE!?" thinking that it was and the whole class would be collectively held responsible for my faux pas and end up doing 300 pushups, etc. Some of them knew what it was too but most of them quickly became oblivious to it.
I think I may have sold one student's dad one. Towards the end of my career, I was working and teaching classes, two in a row, a couple of nights/ week. I was *really* throwing myself into it and he saw me checking my BG and said "you're diabetic? I don't know how you do this..." and I explained that I tested my BG a lot and explained what the pump did. He was looking into it but I moved away.
-
Permalink Reply by Jim on -
As I read your post, for some reason I kept having flashbacks to a Seinfeld episode. LOL.
-
Permalink Reply by acidrock23 on
-
The very reason we didn't compete at our academy!! Occasionally there'd be a lack of enthusiasm that would lead to "that wasn't fast enough...30 pushups!" or whatever. The first time I got into that, I thought I would explode but, after all, pushups are good for you!
-
Permalink Reply by MegaMinxX on -
When my nephew was around 3 yrs old, he was curious and asked about my pump (tubed MM). I told him it was my 'medicine taker'. He wanted one too, so we found a small toy block, and taped a piece of yarn to it and tucked the block and yarn behind his waistband. He thought that was so cool.
As he got older, I explained more details, and called it my 'electronic' pancreas. When we ate, I pointed out how his pancreas was automatically giving him insulin, while I had to push buttons on my pump. So he poked at his stomach, pretending to 'operate' his pancreas.
When he was 9, he did a school project on diabetes and the pancreas and 'interviewed' me !.
-
Permalink Reply by Scott E on -
I love this story Pat! It's so much easier when kids are young. I've had my pump since before my son was born (he's 4 1/2 now), so he doesn't really think anything of it. If he sees me without a shirt on, he doesn't question the thing stuck to my belly... it's just always been there for him (though it does "move" from side to side every few days!).
Advertisement
REsources
Groups
From the Diabetes Hands Foundation blog...
Together, We Can Get Diabetes Co-Stars to 10,000 Views!
Above is a photo of Diabetes Hands Foundation’s own Manny Hernandez with the stars of the Diabetes Co-Stars Video, “Strength in Numbers.” In case you haven’t heard the news yet, there is a new video making it’s way through the …Continue Reading
Congratulations Diabetes Advocates Scholarship Recipients!
The Diabetes Hands Foundation and Diabetes Advocates Program is proud to announce and congratulate the members of DA who were granted scholarships to attend diabetes conferences in 2013! Thanks to a generous grant from Novo Nordisk, in 2013 we were …Continue Reading
TuDiabetes Team
DHF STAFF
 Manny Hernandez(Co-Founder, Editor, has LADA)
|
DHF VOLUNTEERS
Lead Administrator
 Bradford (has type 1) |
Administrators
 Lorraine (mother of type 1) |
 Marie B (has type 1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIKE us on Facebook
Spread the word
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
© 2013 A community of people touched by diabetes, run by the Diabetes Hands Foundation.
