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At what age could you (or your child) apply a new sensor independently without help?
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I had some instruction at about age 59 when I first started using sensors. I did not have diabetes until age 57 and was diagnosed type 1 within a couple of years.
I did not use a CGM as a child because I got T1 as an adult.
What an unfair question. It is similar to asking what is it like to ride in a horseless carriage prior to cars being invented. Or like what age did you first fly in an airplane prior to the Wright brothers (relatives of mine) inventing one.
So I will speculate based on my rearing and upbringing. Before the age of 7. I was charged and trained to be responsible for everything. And it was in the day when being a T1D was highly experimental—nobody knew for sure what was going to work.
We’d put in a hard day, then come home and light the test tubes to measure success. And most of the times it was an October, fall-colors type of success with lots of oranges, browns, and similar colors.
Thanks for the laugh this morning.
Sensors weren’t available when I was diagnosed at 18. So I can sort of relate to your explanation.
I was over 50 when I started using a CGM, which I have always applied without any help. I was 48 when I was diagnosed with LADA
I was not yet a T1D as a child
I’m 61 and I require help with my ridiculous Medtronic Guardian sensor and the tapes. It is a two-handed (sometimes three-handed) operation.
what are the demographics of this group?
Does that ever get considered when the questions are being posed?
T1D at age 43, started using a CGM at 60
Diagnosed in 1965.
I was an adult when CGM became available. My son with T1D was also and my granddaughter with T1D is only 5 and has not begun her own self management.
I answered “I do not know” just to get a chance to comment. I was 30 years old when Dx’d, and started with Dexcom when they first came out.
But…I just saw a comment on an insulin pumpers group from a woman trying to find assisted living/nursing home that can handled CGM insertion as well as insulin pump cartridge/infusion set insertion for her blind mother. You’d think that staff at those places could (and should be by now since people are living longer with T1D) be trained. Kids do it, and parents of very young kids do it – and most aren’t health care professionals!
CGM’s and pumps make caregiving easier – the math is all done. Sadly, I hear, that most facilities are locked into a T2D protocol system.
I didn’t start using CGM until I was in my 50’s.
Perhaps question should have started with, “If you had T1D as a child…” I was diagnosed in my 60’s so while my answer is true, I did’t use a CGM as a child, I don’t think it’s helpful.
Type 1 diabetic at 14 started CGM at 75.
CGM wasn’t even an available option until I was in my early 40s. Not only that, but my T1D wasn’t disgnosed until I was almost 25 years young.
How does this site’s time stamp on comments work???
I just gave my answer and posted my comment literally within the past minute, but as soon as I commented, upon screen refresh, this site is claiming that someone already liked my comment and is saying the comment I posted literally within the past minute is already more than 5 hours old???
CGMs were not available until I was over 50 years old.
Not until we got the G6 could she do it by herself.
No CGMs… not even blood glucose meters… when I was a kid with Type 1.
I can’t tell you if I’d have been able to apply a sensor… but, I could pee on a test strip like a boss! ;p
I did not use CGM as a child because I didn’t have t1 as a child.
I was 23 years of age, two years from US Navy discharge when I was diagnosed with T1D.
I only got access to CGM when I was 46 years old
I did not start using a sensor until I was in my 50’s, so I was definitely over 18!
When I can get the extra sticky reinforcement on alone, I’ll let you know! So far nope…