A new study published in European Diabetes Nursing has identified fear of using the device and permanent cannulation as the most worrying issues for parents and cannula insertion as the most concerning issue for their children prior to the commencement of insulin pump therapy in children and young people with diabetes.
This is the first major study to document the concerns of parents, children and young people during the initiation of paediatric insulin-pump therapy. A total of 38 parents and 34 children and young people aged between 5 and 17 years were enrolled in the study, which was based at University College Hospital, London. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore participants’ experiences and opinions of a hospital-based education programme known as the “Pump Pathway”, which aims to facilitate the transition to pump therapy by encouraging successful self-management.
The “Pump Pathway” is completed prior to the start of intensive insulin therapy and consists of a 2-day training course named “Pump School”, which is supplemented by continued education from the hospitals diabetes care team, often in the form of school or nursery. In addition, follow-up hospital appointments and a 24-hour telephone service was offered to families.
The study concluded that the programme was well received by participants (29 parents, 16 children), and often helped them overcome their concerns of device attachment and cannulation. As the proportion of children and young people receiving insulin pump therapy increases, results from studies such as this can be used to aid the development of future schemes and services to aid individuals using a pump and their families through their treatment strategies.
