Blood glucose monitoring skills in children with type I diabetes

While blood glucose monitoring has become increasingly important in diabete s care, studies have yet to address the accuracy of youngsters' performance of blood glucose testing with current reflectance meters. The present stud y examined testing skills and predictors of accurate testing skills in a sa mple of 7-14-year-old children attending a summer camp for youth with diabe tes (n=266), A 15-item behavior observational skill test was used to assess accuracy of blood glucose monitoring skills with reflectance meters. Accur ate performance of individual skills ranged between 14.6% and 99.6% for the sample. However, a number of children made critical errors (errors that we re likely to lead to inaccurate blood glucose testing results). When durati on of diabetes and metabolic control were controlled, female gender, older age, experience with a particular meter, and absence of hypoglycemia at the time of testing were positively associated with accurate skill performance , Findings suggest that younger children, children using a new blood glucos e testing meter, and children suspected of having hypoglycemia should be su pervised and observed when testing. Although all young children should be s upervised when blood glucose testing, boys may need closer supervision unti l an older age than girls. This study underscores the need for health care providers to periodically observe children's blood glucose monitoring techn iques to assure accurate testing habits and to correct problematic testing behaviors.