Health checks

Blood pressure
Your child's blood pressure should be checked at least once a year, at his or her annual review for diabetes.

Blood glucose
Blood testing can be performed at home. Your doctor or nurse will provide your child with a meter and test strips that he or she will use to test blood glucose levels. Using a finger pricking device, a small drop of blood is extracted and placed on a strip. This strip is then inserted into the meter to get a blood glucose reading.

Long-term testing
During your child's annual review for diabetes, your doctor should perform an HbA1c test. This test measures the amount of glucose that has been carried in the blood for the past 2-3 months and provides your doctor with information needed to determine your child's long-term diabetes control.