RebeccaMDana,
We use a One Touch tester when our 2 and 1/2 year old swcah daughter gets ill for that very purpose. We were prescribed one about a year ago. Once we figured out our daughters signs and reactions to certain illnesses, we saw that the two times we have taken her in for crises, her sugar was dangerously low. We asked the endo if we could take the blood sugar level at home so we could know where we stood and where she was headed because that seemed to be what was the "key" for her particular times of crises. Our daughter seems to make it through fevers okay with the extra doses but with vomiting she would sink fast. Now, even if we question her being extra tired at odd times, or she appears to be lethargic, we just prick her finger and see where we are. It has kept us from having to go to the urgent care several times because we would know what the situation was much earlier and would just follow the procedures they do prior to the crises being in "full swing". We give her the extra meds, sips of gatorade every five minutes, a sweet tart thrown in periodically, watch her blood sugar rise, and then her countenance usually improves dramatically.
Our endo saw the glucometer as essential. Some others don’t. But I think it is a matter, once again, of what seems to work for you. Our endo is a good one, and is a believer in tailoring her CAH patients treatment to their needs since each child is differently predicatable (different but predictable once you figure their differences out!) This works for us but maybe not for others. I definately think it has been worth it, in our case.
God Bless,
RebeccaM
p.s. I don’t know much about others but our "mental chart process" for our daughter is:
90 and up, fine.
70-80, work with it before it goes down further.
In the 60’s , work with it aggressively. ( a teaspoon of sugar per 8 oz of water to spike her numbers - (an example))
Under that, start working but get her to urgent care.
30’s we are looking at possible brain damage so we probably need to call an ambulance.