No more fingertip pricks for diabetics from 4 to 17 years old! FreeStyle Libre, a blood glucose meter operating by simple scanning and available since October 2014, has just obtained a CE mark (in accordance with the requirements) for pediatrics. Until then, this system was intended for adults over 18 years of age.
6 to 8 blood sugar readings per day
the type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent) affects 140,000 children under the age of 14, according to the International Diabetes Federation. Europe is said to be the region of the world with the highest number of children affected. The three most affected countries? UK, Russia and Germany.
The diabetes type 1 causes small patients to regularly inject the insulin they lack. To adjust the doses of this treatment, they must know their glycemia, that is to say the level of sugar in their blood, and they repeat this operation 6 to 8 times a day.
FreeStyle Libre: how does it work?
Concretely, the device consists of a sensor and a reader. The first, the diameter of a two euro coin, is placed by the patient on the upper part of the back of his arm and, every minute for 14 days, the element automatically measures the glucose level.
All the patient has to do is pass the reader over the sensor when they want to know their blood pressure. sugarin the blood. On the meter, he can read the value for his glucose level, the history of the last eight hours and the trend for upcoming checks. The device can retain this data for up to 90 days.
A refund for the device for children?
The price of the reader is 59.90 euros and each sensor costs 59.90 euros. A sensor allows 14-day blood sugar monitoring. Two lozenges are therefore necessary per month.
The device is not reimbursed by the Social Security but as soon as the last studies are finalized, the Abbott laboratory will request reimbursement for the children, as is already the case in Sweden.
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