Diabetes tools: meters, CGMs, pens and pumps
3 min read
Kids with diabetes use some clever tools to check their glucose and get insulin. Here they are!
Glucose meter
A small device that measures glucose in a tiny drop of blood from a fingertip, using a test strip.
Glucose sensor (CGM)
A small sensor on the arm or the tummy checks glucose all day and all night, and sends the numbers to a phone or a reader. It can beep when glucose gets too low or too high, a bit like Beep!
Insulin pen
It looks like a big marker. You turn the dial to choose the dose, then inject with a very thin needle.
Insulin pump
A small device that gives insulin all day through a thin tube or a patch. Some pumps work with a sensor to adjust insulin by themselves.
The kit
Kids also carry a fast sugar (juice or glucose tablets), a snack, water and sometimes glucagon, an emergency medicine for very bad lows.
💡 Some kids decorate their sensors and pumps with stickers!
Sources
- American Diabetes Association: Type 1 diabetes
- NHS: Type 1 diabetes
- AJD, Aide aux Jeunes Diabétiques
- KidsHealth: Diabetes center for kids
Last checked 20 October 2026.
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