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Least painful smallest lancet + meter for 4 year old???

B

basia

Newbie
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1
Hi

Can you please help - new to all this and there are so many different strips, lancets, meters...

I would like to find one best suited for a 4 year old with small fingers... Do lancets come in different sizes? Maybe some meters need less blood tham others? Anything to help make the experience less uncomfortable would be helpful! many thanks!!!
 
Hi Lancets do come in different sizes they use a measurement term of Gauge the higher the number the thinner it is. About the thinnest available is a 33Gauge lancet an example is the One touch comfort lancet. I have used this and also the accu-chek mutliclix with a 30Gauge.

Both are virtually painless even with small fingers. Its important to read the instructions with them as it will show how to lance the correct area of the finger and to minimise the pain. Most finger prickers come with an adjuster that changes the depth the lancet can go in. IF you start at the lightest and work up until you draw blood you can usually achieve a painless finger prick and get enough blood.

Another tip to make it easier to get blood is to make sure you have nice warm and clean hands.

Most meters available use very little blood this is measured in ul or microliters. look for a meter with a 0.6 or lower such as the accucheck nano or a bayer contour
 
We use a Accu-chek multiclix with my 3 year old. You can adjust how deep the lancet goes in very easily. If it doesn't go in far enough it can be tricky to get enough blood without squeezing so its important to have the setting right so you only have to prick once.
 
Hi, Accuchecks range of test meters - lancet guns come with a lancet speed setting device, numbered 1 up to 5.5 [its settings are also in half numbers too] ideal to tweak it more accurately , this will enable you to set your 4year olds lancet speed at the right setting easily to ensure painfree testing.
I am set on speed 2, it does go up to speed 5.5 .
Some meters only come with a lancet speed setting of just 2 or 3 so you cant set it lower if it still feels vicious and painful. Also you can get varying guage sized lancets to load up in the lancet gun. The higher the guage number the finer the needle.
Hope this helps you and your child.
Please let us know if you succeed in this, hate to think of your 4year old losing any confidence with testing blood glucose levels.
Much love and thoughts.
Anna.x :D
 
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