iPump, Inc.

If you cannot afford CGMS, you might consider a diabetes alert service dog. Properly trained service animals can smell changes in blood sugar and alert to potential problems. Some dogs only detect low blood sugar, while others can detect both high and lows – some will even react to any sudden changes, too.

The IRS even allows for many approved costs associated with obtaining and providing care for a certified service animal as a deduction along the same lines as traditional medical expenses. According to an article in the New York Times online Health section:

Service dog expenses are medical costs approved by the Internal Revenue Service, and Ms. O’Connor had filed similar expenses under her flexible spending plan in the past without problem.

There are only a handful of organizations in the U.S. that train dogs for diabetes, and the services and costs vary considerably. Still, if you our your child does now wish to go the CGMS route, and loves dogs, it is something worth looking into.

Walecia Konrad. An Aid for the Disabled, Companion, and Nice and Furry. The New York Times Health. August 21, 2009.

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