Balky about wearing med alert bracelet

I understand why...she is just 6 months into this and thinks about it everytime she tests...she just wants to not have to look at her wrist as another reminder. We require that she wears it when she borrows the car.

I was at a JDRF meeting last night talking to 2 30 something board members who were diagnosed as college students, are pumpers and do not wear a med alert anything. Their reasoning...emt's will see the pump. Any thoughts on this? I would love her to wear the darn thing 24/7, but since she is doing such a great job with everything else after only 6 months...I'm not sure how hard I should come down on her for this thing. Any thought?

 

Yes, EMTs might likely see the pump... eventually. But if she's out in the world independently and moreover if she's driving, then it's my feeling that she really should wear a medic alert somewhere on her person.

There are so many now on the market that don't look like the clunky stainless steel of old. You can get beaded ones and silicone ones or a necklace would serve the same purpose and that she could tuck under a top.

It's a bit of a drag, I agree. But it is something that matters and I think it's worth insisting.

 

For us, this is non-negotiable.
They might get to the pump eventually, but I want them to find it at first glance so they know what they're dealing with immediately.
As Sarah said, there are so many options these days that she should be able to find something she likes.

 

Some links to old threads with ideas for where to find medical ID

http://forums.childrenwithdiabetes.com/showthread.php?t=56102&highlight=medic+bracelet

http://forums.childrenwithdiabetes.com/showthread.php?t=52060&highlight=medic+bracelet

http://forums.childrenwithdiabetes.com/showthread.php?t=12166&highlight=medic+bracelet

 

my dad is an EMT and according to him the pump would be sighted BEFORE a medical alert bracelet as long as she isn't hiding her pump it would probably be seen very quickly.

 

Can you elaborate on what "hiding" a pump would entail?

 

I think one thing that would worry me when mine is old enough to start driving and if she had a pump but no medic alert is what if a car crash was hard enough to separate her pump from her. You know like the pump gets dislodged from where they are wearing it and the site gets pulled. Just something I wouldnt want to risk them not having a way to identify. Would your daughter maybe wear medic alert dog tags. Then she wouldn't have to see it all the time just keep it tucked into her shirt.

 

Thanks for the thoughtful replies! We do require her to wear one when she drives our cars...but she's 18 and will be making so many of her own decisions from now on...as well as going off to college next fall. She picked out the bracelet when she was dx'd so it's what she wanted---she just doesn't want to wear one, period! I guess I can deal with this kind of rebellion as long as she is concerned about taking care of herself in all the other areas!

 

I think the answer is connected to how well you manage your diabetes and your general comfort level with whatever choice you make. I've been driving for 30+ years and T1 for 51 and I've never worn a medic alert. I have a pump and a card in my wallet and am entirely comfortable that provides sufficient information in the event of an incident.

But ... there really is no wrong answer. It's a personal choice and whatever you decide is the right thing to do.

 

http://www.medicalidstore.com/store/WsDefault.asp?One=918
Would she wear a necklace like this? I also have bracelets from this store. I've been wearing a med-id since I was six years old and NOW even still IT IS not a negotiable item.
I've had neclaces, bracelets, beaded bands, etc. over the years, but med IDS do not have to be ugly at all

and university is the WORSE place to be without a medical ID, no one knows you your just a face, and when you hit the ground you want a way to be identified, without mine I would have gotten in some not so fun situations!

 

Our situation is different, my kid is 4 and she's usually with someone who knows she's diabetic, but we don't do alert jewelry since the pump and the CGMS.

 

We had better luck with dog tags than a wrist id. Would she try that?

 

Take a look at Medicharms.com They have some very low profile charms that she could wear on a chain. My daughter usually tucks it under her shirt, but at least it's there. They also have watches with the medical alert on the watch face.

They have some charms meant to appeal to pre-schoolers, so don't be put off. There's one labeled "teen girl" that's very subtle. They also have crosses.

We had "Diabetes - Insulin" engraved on the back of the charm.

Good luck and sometime please post about driving and D. I'm interested in the how parents and young adults with D handle it.

 

Sarah Maddie's Mom- I'd say it would be to hidden if say it was in her bra...

 

Thanks Swimmom...I just looked at those and they might do the trick!

The driving has been going very well...but she'd been driving for 2 years before dx, so that was already a skill. She's also a really careful driver (won't let me use the phone while I'm driving her) and we have a lot of confidence in her abilities. Her sense of direction, however, is totally lacking and we had to bite the bullet and get a GPS because of all the tearful S.O.S. calls we got when she first started . She has smarties in the consul of the car at all times and she is supposed to test before driving. So far so good!

 

I tend to worry in the extreme, but this is exactly when Kendall always wears one. What if you or her caregivers are in a car accident with her and are unresponsive... or she is as well. I realize there are so many situations you can make up in your mind, but for us, the bracelet is a "must" wear at all time.

 

Glad those might be acceptable.

Laughed about the bad sense of direction. My 17 year old son totally relies on his Tom Tom. He bought the Homer Simpson voice for it. Last night he got so lost Homer couldn't even save him .

 

My son is 19 and was dxd at 16. He didn't want to wear one either, but I found him a nice dog tag and once he started driving it has never come off. If he were to ever take it off I take the car, period.

Oh, he is also on the pump, but his necklace has his name, Type 1, dr's phone number and both mine and my husband's number.

 

I bought this for Riley and she wears it all the time. I wear a similar Tiffany bracelet with 2 hearts that are each engraved with her and her brother's names and dates of birth. I think that is why she likes it so much!

http://www.elegantmedicalalert.com/Diamond-Heart-Medical-Alert-Bracelet_p_225.html

It is expensive but I have found similar ones for less searching online.

http://www.silvergallery.com/productxl.html?t_q=QGXSM93-8.75

I think it is worth spending a little extra on something that your kid really likes if they will wear it, especially during the teen years when being fashionable and/or fitting in is so important. Would she be receptive to going online with you and choosing her own jewelry? There is so much out there if you search and a lot of it is really cute.

 

I've played this over in my mind, and concluded that the odds of that happening AND the EMTs not seeing the pump or sensor are so small that at this point, I'm not worried about it. Plus, to be quite honest, (and no offense to EMTs here), I'd honestly prefer to err on the side of them NOT performing any diabetes-related tasks.

So I do not make him wear a medical ID (which he hates - doesn't mind the pump or sensor in the least, but HATES the ID). When he gets older and is not with us all the time, it will happen, but for now, eh, I've got bigger fish to fry.