Diabetes type 1 scanner options

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A relatives child has been recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes unfortunately. Lots for them to adjust to and take in. They say they were advised to get an iPhone to use with the scanner. Is this the only method of collecting the data? It seems odd to give such a young child unfettered access to an iPhone and I worry it will cause issues. Understandably they have many things to worry about currently with the diagnosis, but having worked in schools and seen the damage early access to smart phones can do I'm wondering if they have other options?

I use a Freestyle Libre 2 Plus with my iPhone but I know it can be used with a dedicated receiver instead. I’m not sure which other CGMs also work that way.

I use freestyle libre 2 with android.

My mum has a free style libre 2 also but she has this hand held scanner thing thats not linked to a phone. She got it from the gp.

Thanks for the replies. It's not something I'd have thought about before the diagnosis, but it feels odd that primary aged children would be advised to have a smart phone. I would have imagined there would be other tech for children or anyone else who wasn't wanting a smart phone.

I use a Dexcom G7 with my phone. There is a dedicated receiver available, but I would have to check to make sure that all the features are identical.

A 7 year old I know was recently diagnosed. She has a dedicated receiver with her in school but the parents are able to receive data to their smartphone so they can monitor her as well.
The receiver has to be pretty close to the kid as it only has a small range but you can have it linked to more than one app as well.

Why would having a phone to manage their diabetes give them unfettered access?

I'm sure you mean well but the rights and wrongs of smart phone access is the least of their problems at this early stage. It's an odd thing to concern yourself as a relative and also when their world has just changed forever. Presumably they'll use parental control settings on things they're not yet comfortable with, but yes it's possible to use a dedicated reader instead of a phone. Once the child is out independently either walking to school or out with friends they'll absolutely need to be able to be able to be contacted particularly if parents are monitoring their blood sugars remotely and equally for the child to be able to quickly contact parents for advice around blood sugars / food etc as they becone more independent. Also food apps on phones to be able to calculate carbs when out with friends is invaluable. Think of it not as a device for bad but as a one stop shop medical device. And if you want to help maybe offer practical help like taking some washing away to launder or picking up some shopping rather than offering your opinion on phone usage. They've just been given another full time job, but one that runs 24/7 with zero weekend down time or holiday periods.

The receivers are clunky, more difficult to extract information from and I only use them for patients in a very few situations.
The phone allows others to see blood sugars (the childs parents will probably appreciate this) and have a variety of apps (Glooko etc) that are updated more often and more up to date as that is what most people use and developers focus on.

Also parent of type 1 child. The phone/CGM is a medical device and treated as such. It is something that the parents will decide on advice of endocrinologist and diabetic nurse.

Child also has to come to terms with having a life long chronic illness that makes them different from their friends. The psychological impact of T1D on the child and the wider family is one of the hardest parts of this illness, especially in the months post diagnosis. Not many outsiders appreciate this at all, and well meaning comments about phones could be causing more upset than you think to the family.

All the talk about phones being dangerous, banning them for children, cracking down hard on phones in secondary schools is making it much harder on T1 kids for whom having a phone as a medical device massively outweighs any internet risks which can be managed with parental controls.

But for your information, any of the non phone options, mean the parents can’t remotely monitor the blood sugar. The big advantage of remote monitoring is that the parent can check blood sugar while the child is off being a child and the child doesn’t have to stop what they are doing, scan their blood sugar, communicate their result and be generally made to feel different from their friends.

Please leave them to it and don’t bring up your opinions on their child having a phone.

The phone is the least of their worries.

Indeed it’s a medical tool which will help them manage the condition & call for help etc if needed.

It can be set up without social media & everything else that’s problematic for young people.

As a mum of a Type 1, please do not share your thoughts. You’ve no idea what you’re talking about and it’s the last thing they or anyone else needs to hear.

It’s a medical device and I am so very grateful for the technology we have.

Thanks to all for your input. I haven't, and wouldn't, say anything. I was just looking for clarity.

I do understand that it's essential to be able to monitor blood sugars and that if this is the way to do it most effectively, of course that's what has to be done.

Background of very difficult and complicated relationship with the relative concerned and know no controls are currently on the phone and have reason to believe they won't be put on in future. I totally understand that the diabetes diagnosis changes their whole life, forever, and things are coming at them hard and fast. I am helping and supporting in ways I can, but, yes, life doesn't happen in a vacuum and I have concerns for the young child with an entire and not always appropriate world available 24/7 on their phone. As much as it's a device for medical necessity, it's very much more than that too which is why I wondered if other options were available to a 7 year old. They don't necessarily know or understand the boundary of the usage themselves, do they? I won't be saying anything, of course.

It’s not really anything to do with you though is it. The child will only be allowed to access the Dexcom or Libre app at school to check their glucose levels. Only certain phones are compatible with certain sensors and pumps, depending on what you have. And it has to be a phone in order for me to see my child’s glucose levels. Plus access to the carbs and Cals app.

Ifs a life changing diagnosis that you never switch off from. The phone is the least of it.