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Blood glucose meters
In order to help your child maintain dayto- day control of diabetes, your diabetes doctor or nurse will recommend the use of a blood glucose meter. This meter will allow your child to test blood glucose levels at home. You will most likely be given a range of meters to choose from.
There are several different meters available. It is best to make a list of pros and cons to determine what meter best meets your child's needs. It might be good for the two of you to sit down and consider what your child would prefer:
- A small, easy-to-carry meter or a larger meter
- A meter that provides blood ketone readings as well as blood glucose
- A meter that requires less blood to test
- A less complicated meter that doesn't require coding when a new packet of test strips are being used
- A meter that stores past readings so you can compare and look for trends in glucose levels
- A meter that can hook up to your computer so you can review previous tests to look for trends electronically
These are some of many potential meter features you will want to consider. If the two of you find that you have questions, your healthcare team can give you advice and help you choose a meter that best fits your child's needs.
Using your meter
Once you have chosen a meter, a member of your diabetes healthcare team will teach both of you how to use the meter to test blood glucose levels. It is essential for both of you to understand how to test as improper technique may result in incorrect testing, which, in turn, could lead to inaccurate insulin dosing requirements. And long-term inaccurate dosing can lead to serious complications.
