Computer device 'helps' diabetics

[ccharles000]

A handheld computer console game has been developed to help diabetic children monitor their condition.

The Didget system for the Nintendo DS is designed to encourage young people to test their blood sugar levels regularly.

Users download the results to their console and are rewarded with game points.

25,000 children in the UK have diabetes. Those with type 1 need to test their blood every few hours.

The regime can be tough, according to 11-year-old George Dove: "It is boring, but I am quite good at remembering to do it because I know if I don't do it, I know that I could get really ill," he said.

"When I am low I go really shaky, get blurred vision and can't speak very well. After the first year or so you get used to it and I know when I am having a hypo."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_10000000/newsid_10002800/10002899.stm

[berni_mccoy]

1. Interesting, but... Kids shouldn't be checking their own blood sugar

Until the child is 16-17, the burden of blood checks is firmly on the parents. I have two boys with type 1 and while they can check their own blood sugar and sometimes do, the burden is not theirs. It is ours as parents. Their life is difficult enough and they'll have to do it for the rest of their lives. Doctors and Psychologists all agree that it is best to relieve them from this burden while they are children. Let them have what childhood they can still have.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. What about when they're at school?

Do you expect the teachers to take the responsibility? I'd have thought your children would be doing it then.

[lxlxlxl]

2. the 'device' market is crap

they are trying to put blood sugar monitoring in everything, which is fine, as a diabetic the less intrusive the better

what we really need is help with dietary supplements, hunger control, and for some better fitness

the device market is basically just a huge boon to whoever pushes these products out. the range and cheapness of products at the pharmacy has EXPLODED and I'm sure the profit margin on device and strips is big enough for these companies to rake in huge profits.

should be nationalized prob...

[comtec]

4. I'm going to send this to my cousin for my niece to get

She loves her GameBoy, and is Type 1.
She was in the hospital last month for being too low (my wife is 1 as well)

I see this as a great training tool for kids.

Here's the reality, this is something you and just to real fast or start loosing limbs or die!
The best way to make sure the kids will N O T loose something is make it something they'll treasure... like their gameboy!

Set up a reward system so that when they get home from school you can see their "scores" and reward them accordingly.