Podding with a skinny kid?

Tyggirl · #1 04-15-2012, 01:31 PM

Hi everyone,
I posted in the Insulin Pump forum but haven't had a response. My daughter, Emily, is about 32lbs and 39" at age 5. Pretty much a skinny short kid for her age. :-) She has very little body fat. We are aware this means that she will most likely have to do sites in her arms and bottom most of the time until she fills out more.

Does anyone have a skinny child on an Omnipod and having success? We trialed it with saline for 2 days on her arm and she said it didn't bother her. We also used the "fake" one you can get from Insulet on her bum but that is more placement trying then "real".

We've done two 2-day trials of the Sure-T set with miserable results. The second time we attached the tubing and an old pump of mine to see what it would be like for her to have tubing and carry a pump and it was definitely more complicated then I was imagining with an active preschooler. The kicker was the Tegaderm we needed to hold down her set did a number on her skin and was HORRIFIC to get off. We all agreed the Pod was a better fit for her.

Any experience/advice you can share about podding with a skinny kid would be greatly appreciated!

caspi · #2 04-15-2012, 03:55 PM

Hi Sherry! My son is older (13) but started on the Omnipod 4 years ago. He is very lean and has used 3 sites -- his arms, his belly, and his upper outer thighs. On his arms and legs we wrap the pod with vetrap when he is playing sports. We had adhesion issues with his belly because of sweat but there are many others that have used the belly without any issues.

I hope this helps!

Tyggirl · #3 04-15-2012, 06:10 PM

Thanks for replying! She really has nothing to pinch on her tummy at all and we haven't been able to do shots there. She's already gained 3lbs since diagnosis but she has always been a skinny child since birth so I don't think it is all D-related. She's just back on her growth chart curve.

Glad to hear your son has been so active and likes the pod!

Cookie Monster · #4 04-15-2012, 10:57 PM

I can't help with the omnipod but I do have a very skinny kid. He has spent most of his life trying to catch or clinging on to the bottom of the growth charts.

For sites we use his thighs. His tummy is completely devoid of any fat and his bottom has not been much better, although is getting there slowly.

As you found it is not easy with a young child and pumps, tubing etc but here is what we did.
Good luck!

swellman · #5 04-15-2012, 11:10 PM

We've been podding for 5 years and I'm not sure about skinny be he isn't plump for sure. Two abdomen and two back locations have been great so far. I don't think you need any more plump for a pod than any other pump.

ETA: I can't imagine there's any weight that one can't inject into the belly area.

Tyggirl · #6 04-16-2012, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swellman

ETA: I can't imagine there's any weight that one can't inject into the belly area.

Honestly, I couldn't either until my daughter was diagnosed. You seriously can't pinch anything as the skin is so taught on her tummy. We had problems at diagnosis doing her arms as well but now that she has filled in more and is healthy again they have worked well.

maciasfamily · #7 04-16-2012, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookie Monster

I can't help with the omnipod but I do have a very skinny kid. He has spent most of his life trying to catch or clinging on to the bottom of the growth charts.

For sites we use his thighs. His tummy is completely devoid of any fat and his bottom has not been much better, although is getting there slowly.

As you found it is not easy with a young child and pumps, tubing etc but here is what we did.
Good luck!

Love this bag! I didn't think about the pump at potty time!

Traci · #8 04-16-2012, 10:19 AM

Ds is now 11, but has been on the pod for a few years. He's skinny. We use arm and bum sites and have just started using the tops of his legs. I tried his tummy several times, but he says it hurts (he never complained about tummy sites with our Cozmo pump). I thought the endo would "help" me convince him that his stomach was fine to use, but the endo took one look and said, "of course it hurts! He's too thin for you to use his stomach!".

So, we're patiently waiting for ds to get a little meat on his bones so we can try that area later. Rotating arms and bum, right, left, up, down has worked so far for us.

Good luck with your decision!

Tyggirl · #9 04-17-2012, 01:26 PM

Thank you! It sure does help to hear that people had success. :-) What is your opinion of the Pod vs. Cozmo? My warranty is up in a couple of months and I'm pump shopping for myself as well. ;-)

Traci · #10 04-17-2012, 03:35 PM

We loved our Cozmo and do miss some of the features, but being tubeless has been wonderful!