So we finally made the decision to go with the Animas Ping pump for our 5 year old. We researched and researched!!! We met with sales reps, req demos, got info online and mailed to us as well as attended two pumping classes and it seems like the most logical pump for her. She is tiny with little to NO fat on her tiny body and that was a reason to avoid the Pod (which was our pick at first). We are going with the angled infusion set.
It is set to ship to us on Friday and I am sooooo nervous! Hoping I will learn everything....take good care of her....just worried in general. It is a nervous excitement/worry! haha
Any tips to us first time pumpers from the PROS???
Hi Sara... I also just decided on the Animas Ping... I chose the green one! I got my pump on Monday and I am waiting to go to a training class to start using it. I also decided on the angled infusion sets. I really know nothing about it really using it yet. I am excited to see how it goes, and to see what tips you get from others. I hope to start using it next week! If I learn any tips @ my training, I will be sure to share! Best of luck to you and your daughter!!
Sara- My 8 year old daughter has been using the Animas Ping for a year now and I can't imagine life without it! It gives her such freedom in when she eats as well as better overall control. The best advice I can give you is, be patient. It will take a while before you get all her settings adjusted and then when you think you have everything right, it all changes. I wish I had better prepared myself mentally for all the changes that would occur continually. It is all worth it though!
Some other tidbits of advice... Don't be afraid to try different infusion sets to see which one works best for her. We actually use 2 different sets, depending on where her site is located on her body. The pump and screen scratch easily, invest in a skin and screen protector. There are tons of pump pouches out there and at age 5 I would definitely recommend you get a few. We love SPI belts and have a few. The clip on the pump breaks easily and costs $20 to replace. We only use the clip if she is wearing a "dressy" dress and she doesn't want the bump of the SPI belt. We just clip it to her undies/tights. If you have a diabetes bag that you take when you go out, you will need to add an extra infusion set, cartridge and battery. We have had several outtings when a site got pulled out accidently or a battery died.
Good luck with starting pumping! Are you doing a saline trial first? Seems like many endos do start with saline so you get used to all the button pushing before you start with insulin. Hope it all goes well!
When the pump first arrives you'll probably be freaked out by all the equipment and instruction manual. Don't be overwhelmed. You'll get the hang of it soon.
Different infusion sites work better for different people, so trust your daughter if she doesn't want it in a certain area. It will take a little time to get basal rates set, but just be patient.
I'm the pump user, but have a 5-year-old (not diabetic) son. He can easily work my pump under my instruction and when I'm changing the infusion set I'll sometimes let him pick the place where I put it, but he doesn't have the manual dexterity to do much more than that.