Insulin Pumps Cause Injuries

May 7th, 2008 • Related • Filed Under
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Type 1 diabetes or also known as juvenile diabetes mostly occurs in your children or teens whose own body attacks the pancreas so it produces lesser or no insulin. This would mean the diabetic has to provide the body with insulin through other means and this includes insulin injections and also through pumps.

Although the first option has been the usual way to do it, there are more teenagers who are switching to pumps so that they can be more flexible and be able to live more normal lives. They are able to give themselves insulin without notice in public and also go out on late night snacks with friends.

The pump is the size of a cell phone which can be worn on a belt or in the pocket. It sends insulin to the body through a plastic tube that inserts in the skin and taped in place. The users can regulate the amount of insulin before each meal and it can also deliver a low dose of insulin continuously.

The bad thing about this is that there are numerous accounts of injuries and even deaths of young teenagers through pumps. It could be that the pumps are defective, the tubes get blocked or there is excessive dose of insulin being pumped to the body.

The parents have to monitor their children’s pumps to make sure that everything is ok so that there would be lesser casualties from misuse of insulin pumps.


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  1. Comment by Raymond Isbill on 26 July 2008:

    I would have to disagree with your analysis of the situation. I have never heard of anyone dying as the result of their insulin pump failing. It is more likely poor personal diabetes management. First off Type1 diabetes is also known as insulin dependent diabetes not juvenile diabetes. Juvenile diabetes simply means you were diagnosed at a very early age and were most likely born with it. If you are type1 you must have insulin it cannot be regulated by diet or pills. This is not surprising that you might get it mixed up as we usually have to tell the doctors what to do when it comes down to caring for my 11yo son Jacob. Most doctors and nurses still take the old approach to diabetes care. They believe you can’t have any sweets and you must be on a strict diet. When was the last time you knew of an 11yo who could stick to anything for more than 20min? My wife who happens to be a nurse knows more about caring for diabetics than anyone else she works with including the doctors. Many times the doctors on her floor will come to her seeking advice on care especially if it involves a child. We have been dealing with my son’s diabetes since he was 2 years old. He has been on a pump for 5 of these 9 years with out a single problem. Take time to get educated preferably by someone who lives with a pump every day. Thank you.

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