Use of continuous glucose monitoring in young children with type 1 diabetes: implications for behavioral research

Objective: This study presents data on the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in young children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). CGM provides moment-to-moment tracking of glucose concentrations and measures of intra- and interday variability, which are particularly salient measures in young children with T1DM. Methods: Thirty-one children (mean age = 5.0 yr ) with T1DM wore the Medtronic Minimed CGM for a mean of 66.8 h. The CGM was inserted in diabetes clinics, and parents were provided brief training. Results: Few difficulties were experienced and families cited the acceptability of CGM. Participants' CGM data are compared with self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) data as well as data from older children with T1DM to illustrate differences in methodology and variability present in this population. CGM data are used to calculate glucose variability, which is found to be related to diabetes variables such as history of hypoglycemic seizures. Conclusions: CGM is an acceptable research tool for obtaining glucose data in young children with T1DM and has been used previously in older children and adults. CGM may be particularly useful in young children who often experience more glucose variability. Data obtained via CGM are richer and more detailed than traditional SMBG data and allow for analyses to link blood glucose with behavior.