My son Marcus is like most other happy little boys. He loves playing with his friends and spending time with his family. He is curious, caring, and kind. Shortly before his sixth birthday, though, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
When his father and I learned of his condition — an incurable autoimmune disease — we were shocked and overcome with worry, but we were also determined to do everything in our power to help manage his treatment.
To properly look after Type 1 diabetes, patients and their caregivers must monitor diet, blood glucose, and insulin intake. This was all very new to me, though it became immediately apparent that tracking his blood glucose levels was going to be a challenge.
From banking to organizing schedules, we do almost everything online, so keeping an ongoing log of Marcus’s condition using pen and paper was frustrating. To make matters more difficult, we are a very mobile family, constantly traveling, and I didn’t want that to negatively impact his care.
I started to research better solutions. Quickly, I uncovered a range of apps created specifically to aid Type 1 diabetes sufferers. With my mobile phone, I could track Marcus’s levels safely, reliably, and efficiently using a helpful app called bant that is a diabetes management app for the iPhone.
I was also able to use the bant app to correspond directly with his medical team, which saved time and gave us peace of mind. While this is great for his everyday care, it is particularly wonderful when it comes to irregular circumstances.
For instance, Marcus recently underwent a sudden growth spurt, which affected his blood glucose levels. I was worried. In the past, this would have meant taking time off work, scheduling doctors’ appointments, and uncertainty. Thankfully, the app let me maintain direct contact with his doctor, sharing Marcus’s status, making necessary adjustments, and keeping things under control.
Digital health care has empowered me to take better care of my son’s condition, so we can spend less time worrying and more time being a family. It has also opened my eyes to the many digital health solutions that exist across Canada.
You use tech to make the rest of your life more manageable. Now use it to manage your health as well. Here's how:
Discover how apps, software, and online support can help manage your family’s health care.
Dr. Kim Foster shares how your family doctor may be going high-tech.
Go high-tech with your medical history, prescriptions, and test results.
Learn more about the digital health tools available to you and your family and how they can help you take charge of your health care at www.betterhealthtogether.ca.
This is proudly sponsored by our friends at Canada Health Infoway: Better Health Together.
www.betterhealthtogether.ca
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