#1764 Tandem Kids: Leah

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1764 Tandem Kids: Leah

Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Leah
Release Date: February 8, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features an interview between host Scott Benner and 8-year-old Leah, who is living with type 1 diabetes and using a Tandem insulin pump. Scott and Leah discuss Leah's diagnosis journey, her experiences managing diabetes as a child, and how technology like the Tandem pump helps her live more freely. The episode is part of a mini-series recorded at the Friends for Life conference, focusing on real experiences of kids with diabetes, and offering relatable, achievable strategies for living boldly and well.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Leah’s Diagnosis Story

• Diagnosis Timeline: Leah was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on August 26, 2024, less than a year before the interview (01:28).
• Diagnosis Experience:
  • She describes the anxiety and discomfort of waiting in the emergency room and recalls her first finger prick as "it hurt so much" (02:33).
  • Leah spent only about four hours at the hospital and was able to go home the same day, "I didn't spend any days. I spent hours." (03:04).
  • She didn’t initially understand what was happening and wasn’t told by her parents right away that she had type 1 diabetes; her grandfather (a doctor) and grandmother (a nurse) were helpful in the process (03:30).

Starting Diabetes Management

• Early Management: Leah began with finger pricks and injections (06:11).
• Transition to Technology:
  • Quickly advanced from finger pricks to using a Dexcom CGM.
  • Started on a Tandem pump (Mobi) soon after. She enjoys the phone interface: “I go onto my phone, open up, and then... dashboard, bolus, and then you just type in the carbs.” (06:35–07:32).
• Independence: Leah already manages her own blood sugar and insulin doses at times, especially when left home with her sister (01:47).

Adjusting to Diabetes

• Learning Curve: She kept a Barbie diary after her diagnosis, filled with new terms like “carbs” which she didn’t understand at first (05:34).
• Carb Counting:
  • Leah now counts carbs for everything, including snacks like Pringles: “I took the Pringles, looked at the nutrition facts... I just went into my phone, put in 16 carbs, and it showed me the amount of insulin I needed to get. And then I just press next, confirm, and then you drop this little, like, droplet... it uses face ID and it just makes your bolus.” (07:36–08:11).

Social and Emotional Impact

• Perception by Peers:
  • Some classmates treat Leah’s diabetes like it’s a pet, asking, “How’s your diabetes going?” (08:45).
  • She wants people to understand diabetes better but recognizes that others are trying their best (09:09–09:17).
• Support System:
  • Leah relies on her parents for support, especially with diabetes management during sports or dance (11:16).
  • Describes the comfort of her mom helping overnight and liking when her parents “take care of it” (13:55–14:18).

Daily Life & Technology

• Sports & Activities:
  • Leah dances, plays soccer, and does theater. She uses the Tandem pump’s “exercise mode” or a custom “Dance Profile” to adjust insulin during activity: “The pump has exercise mode, which actually lowers my insulin that I get while I’m doing that.” (11:56–12:14).
  • Uses a connected watch to monitor blood sugar (11:38–11:49).
• Treating Lows: Prefers Sour Skittles or Nerds gummy clusters to treat lows (12:33–12:55).
  • “Sour Skittles are delicious.” (12:38).

Preferences and Challenges

• Shots vs. Pump: Leah vastly prefers the pump, describing injections as unpleasant and the pump as painless:
  • “I like it a lot better than injections. How come I can’t really feel it?” (08:18).
  • “Oh, I hate giving myself shots.” (16:06).
• Pump Features:
  • Enjoys having choices in how the pump works: “I got a choice. Pushing or popping?” (16:27).
• Biggest Change Since Diagnosis:
  • Sometimes having to sit out of activities when low, and other kids being jealous just for the candy, which she finds odd: “You don’t want to be, like, shoveling candy in your mouth.” (14:57).

Coping and Support

• Family Dynamics:
  • Has one brother and one older sister; no other family members with type 1 (10:05–10:24).
  • Her family is involved in her care, and she sometimes asks them to handle her bolusing.
• Community:
  • Met another child with type 1 at dance class, but mostly surrounded by friends and school staff with type 2 (10:31–10:36).
• Role Models:
  • Leah’s diabetes hero is Stacey McGill from The Babysitter's Club, whose story she’s read many times (16:47–16:59).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Diagnosis:
  • “It hurt so much.” – Leah describing her first finger prick (02:33)
• On Learning New Terms:
  • “One of the words I really understood when I read it again one time was ‘carbs’.” (06:01)
• On Technology:
  • “Do you like it differently or better or worse than injections?”
    “I like it a lot better than injections. How come? I can’t really feel it.” (08:14–08:23)
• On Peer Reactions:
  • “They’re all like, so how’s your diabetes going? Like, it’s my pet and I’m like…” (08:46)
• On Support:
  • “It feels great. Because then I don’t. Then I don’t have to do all the work.” —On parents helping with care (13:55)
• On Treating Lows:
  • “Sour Skittles are delicious.” (12:38)
• On Other Kids’ Perceptions:
  • “Kids say that they’re, like, jealous of me because they’re like, I want to have diabetes to get the skittles. Just for the candy. And I’m like, you don’t want to be, like, shoveling candy in your mouth.” (14:53–15:05)
• On Preference for Pump:
  • “I like knowing that I get to decide what I want.” (16:35–16:38)
• On Role Models:
  • “Stacy McGill.” “Who is she?” “From the Babysitter’s Club.” (16:47–16:52)

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Important Timestamps

• 01:15: Leah introduces herself, her age, and diabetes duration.
• 02:02: Leah describes her ER diagnosis and first experiences.
• 03:30: Talks about the role her grandparents played post-diagnosis.
• 06:35–08:11: Detailed description of how she uses the Tandem pump via phone and carbs tracking.
• 08:45–09:17: Leah discusses people’s perceptions and how she responds.
• 11:16–12:15: Navigating diabetes during dance, soccer, and using exercise mode.
• 12:33–13:18: Treating lows with favorite sweets and nightly routines.
• 14:27–15:05: Changes to her life, sitting out of activities, and other kids’ misunderstandings.
• 16:47–16:52: Cites Stacey McGill from The Babysitter’s Club as her hero.

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Tone and Style

Leah brings a candid and endearing perspective, speaking honestly and with a touch of good humor about the challenges and adaptations involved in life with type 1 diabetes. Scott’s warm, conversational style helps highlight Leah’s independence and resilience, with moments of laughter and thoughtful recognition for both the challenges and the solutions technology provides.

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For More

For further relatable, child-focused discussions on thriving with diabetes, listeners are encouraged to explore more “Tandem Kids” episodes and visit JuiceboxPodcast.com.

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This summary reflects the episode’s main discussions, humor, and advice, providing a comprehensive picture for anyone interested in pediatric diabetes care—especially newly diagnosed families and their supporters.

Transcript

[A]

I attended my first ever Friends for Life conference in July of 2025. And while I was there, I interviewed eight children of various ages, all who wear a tandem pump. I want to thank Tandem Diabetes for sponsoring this short episode of the Juice Box podcast. Check them [e-mail] juicebox nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your healthcare plan. The episode you're about to listen to is sponsored by TandemMobi. The impressively small insulin pump. Tandem Mobi features Tandem's newest algorithm, Control IQ Technology. It's designed for greater discretion, more freedom, and improved time and range. Learn more and get started [e-mail] Chandra Juice Box.

[B]

Are you nervous?

[C]

A little bit.

[B]

Yeah. I'm a little nervous, though. Don't worry about it. It's okay. You ready? Okay. Hi.

[C]

Hello.

[B]

What's your name?

[C]

My name is Leah.

[B]

Leah, I'm Scott. It's nice to meet you.

[C]

Nice to meet you, too.

[B]

Thank you. How old are you?

[C]

I'm eight years old.

[B]

Eight. And you have type one diabetes?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

For how long?

[C]

I've had it since August 26, 2024.

[B]

Oh, wait, not even a whole year yet?

[C]

No.

[B]

Wow, that's pretty new then. How are you doing?

[C]

I'm good.

[B]

Yeah? You just okay? It's no big deal. Do you check your blood sugar? Do you make decisions?

[C]

Yeah, I check my blood sugar by myself. Sometimes I dose by myself when I'm home alone with my sister.

[B]

Oh, wow, that's awesome. So do you remember anything about getting type one? Do you remember about being diagnosed or what it was like?

[C]

I remember laying. I remember waiting what felt like forever in the emergency room waiting place. And then I just get called in and we just go into the small room and take some tests. And then I have to go into this big room with this large bed, and they tell me to just plop on the bed.

[B]

Right.

[C]

And then they take a finger prick. And it hurt. And it hurt so much.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And then it was already past lunchtime, so I was pretty hungry. And so I was just waiting there while watching TV on a big hospital bed. And eventually they put an IV in.

[B]

Yep.

[C]

But before they did that, they put on numbing cream and told me to wait there for 30 minutes. They kept me there for an hour.

[B]

How many days did you spend at the hospital?

[C]

I didn't spend any days. I spent hours.

[B]

Wait, so you went into the hospital, got diagnosed, and then you left the same day?

[C]

I Left the same day. Except I was there for so long.

[B]

Wow. I know. It is.

[C]

I was there for maybe four hours.

[B]

Gotcha. Wow. That's pretty short for most people. I know. Some people were in the hospital for five days after they were diagnosed.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

Right. They had to be. They had to live there. So when you left, what was your understanding of what your new situation was?

[C]

I had no clue what was happening. My mom and my dad didn't tell me I had type 1 diabetes. They just. They just took me to my Gigi and papa's house. And so. And it's helpful because my papa's a doctor and my Gigi used to be a nurse.

[B]

Okay. So did they help explain it?

[C]

I didn't really get explained to it.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

By the next day.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

And so I just ate mostly just like, carb free foods for dinner and breakfast, and then we just drove to uvm and they just kept me there for most of the day.

[B]

And this is your biggest problem with diabetes, is the time it takes, huh?

[C]

Yep.

[B]

Yeah. I see this.

[C]

It takes time.

[B]

It takes time. It does take time. So what do they give you to manage with at first? Is it like pens? Do you get needles and vials? Do you remember how you got insulin in the beginning?

[C]

They didn't give me insulin at the hospital.

[B]

No.

[C]

The day when I got diagnosed, which. Why didn't they give me insulin?

[B]

I don't know if I needed it. I think they probably wanted you to get training before they gave you insulin, maybe. You think? Yeah, I think so.

[C]

But the day of uvm, I learned I had to take shots. I had to take my blood sugar, and they even gave me this little eel meal for breakfast.

[B]

To eat? Yeah. So that you can bolus for it?

[C]

No, I didn't have the pump.

[B]

Oh.

[C]

So I had been at.

[B]

I said bolus. I should have said inject. You had to inject for it, right?

[C]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. That was your first time.

[C]

Showed mom and dad how to do it. And eventually I got to go down there and. And then I got. I got to go down there with mom and dad, like, to the bottom floor. And we went to. We went to this little, like, shop, and I got this little Barbie diary. I still have it in my room. And on some of the first pages, I wrote down stuff, but I couldn't really understand it when I read it the next time.

[B]

How come? Because you couldn't read your writing?

[C]

No, I could read it. It was just like a lot of nutrition words, new words. One of the words I really understood When I read it again, one time was carbs.

[B]

Carbs. Because you count your carbs all the time now, right?

[C]

Yep.

[B]

Yeah. And you take. You said sometimes you bolus for yourself now. Yeah, but how did you get from injecting to bolusing? What did you do?

[C]

Okay, so first I had. So I spent a couple, maybe a month or a couple weeks with injecting and finger pricking.

[B]

Right.

[C]

And then I got told I didn't have to do the finger pricking anymore. I could just get a Dexcom.

[B]

So you have a Dexcom now, but you're still doing injections?

[A]

No, no.

[B]

You moved to a pump.

[C]

I moved to the tandem pump. I go onto my phone, open up, and then I type in my passcode, open up the Moby thing. And then there's this little, like, thing of, like, words down at the bottom. And so the words are dashboard, which I'm usually at to see my blood sugar and stuff. And then there's bolus, which I just press put. And then there's two, these three boxes. The top shows you the insulin. The bottom right one shows you your blood sugar. And then the bottom left one, you can just type it. You just push it and then type in the carbs. So say I'm eating Pringles and I want 15 chips real quick.

[B]

What kind of Pringles? Sour.

[C]

I did this just yesterday. I. I took the Pringles, looked at the nutrition facts. It says 15 crisps and then it said 16 carbs. So I just went into my phone, put in 16 carbs, and it showed me the amount of insulin I needed to get. And then I just press next confirm. And then you drop this little, like, droplet. You push that little droplet and then it uses face ID and it just makes your bolus.

[B]

Yeah, it's awesome. Is it easy?

[C]

Pretty easy.

[B]

Do you like it differently or better or worse than injections?

[C]

I like it a lot better than injections. How come I can't really feel it?

[B]

You don't feel it? No, it's awesome. That's right. I think you're going to grow up to be a technical writer, by the way, because when you explain something, it is very thorough and I understand everything while you're talking. So thank you very much. I appreciate that. Do people find that they understand you when you're talking, do you think?

[C]

Pretty sure.

[B]

Pretty sure. But do you like writing?

[C]

I know a lot of non diabetics.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

And they are all like, so how's your diabetes going? Like, it's my pet and I'M like.

[B]

Wait, they treat your diabetes like it's a pet. Like, how's Fido?

[C]

They're like, how's your diabetes going? And I'm like, it's going good.

[B]

It's going good.

[C]

I'm just trying to hold back my anger.

[A]

Why you don't like.

[C]

She doesn't understand at all.

[B]

So you would like it if she understood it better?

[C]

Yeah, I want people to understand it better.

[B]

Yeah. Do you explain it to them or do you find that they're not interested?

[C]

I just know that people are, like, trying their best, so I don't say, hey, you're wrong. It's actually, how have you been since you been diag. How have you been with your diabetes? And I could just say, um, I've been pretty good handling my diabetes.

[B]

Yeah, you're doing well. Do you know what your A1C is?

[C]

No, I can't really. I don't pay attention to all that stuff.

[B]

All the numbers.

[C]

Mom and dad, do they do that stuff? Yeah.

[B]

What do you do at the doctor's office when you have an appointment, though? Do you just sit there and hang out?

[C]

I just sit there, and a lot of times I bring my sister. She's the only entertainment I've got when I go there.

[B]

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

[C]

I have one brother, Joey, who is 6 years old, and then I have an older sister, Juliana, who's 11 years old.

[B]

Does anybody else have type 1 diabetes in your family?

[C]

Not type 1? There is someone in my family with type 2, though.

[B]

Okay. And how about you have friends at school, but do any of them have diabetes?

[C]

My principal and school nurse have diabetes.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[C]

Type two?

[B]

Type two, not type one. Gotcha.

[A]

Are you the only.

[B]

Have you ever met another person with type one? I mean, you're gonna meet a lot of them here, but where did you meet that person?

[C]

At dance class.

[B]

Dance class?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So is that something you like doing? Dancing?

[C]

I like dancing. Dancing and theater are my hobbies.

[B]

They're your hobbies? Do you don't play sports? You do dancing and theater?

[C]

I do do sports. I play, like, soccer and dance and theater. Those are my three main hobbies.

[B]

How do you manage your diabetes? With soccer and dance. Is there stuff you have to do that's special?

[C]

My parents are always there every time I go to soccer, but with dance, they just drop me off and say goodbye.

[B]

Just throw you out of the car.

[C]

We'll call. We'll call either you or Ms. Heather if we need it. Yeah, but I usually have my watch on Me. So I can just be like. Like this.

[B]

That's where you see your blood sugar.

[C]

I just open up my watch just go down. And then I go into sweet dreams, fetching my readings, retain fu.

[B]

And then it shows me your lunch.

[C]

164 right now.

[B]

It's a nice steady line you have there.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Awesome. So you don't have to do any special settings to go dancing or to play soccer.

[C]

I do the pump has exercise mode, which actually lowers my insulin that I get while I'm doing that. And the people at UVM actually decided to make me a profile for exercise.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

And we call it Dance Profile. Because whenever I'm exercising, it's usually dance.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And your butcher tries to go down, so they put in a different profile. And it doesn't happen like that.

[C]

Well, it goes down, but not the same way. Not the same way it would if I didn't have that stuff.

[B]

If you get low, what's your favorite food to make your pleasure grow back?

[C]

Sour Skittles.

[B]

Sour Skittles?

[C]

Yeah. Sour Skittles are delicious.

[B]

How often do you have Sour Skittles? Is it a daily thing? No, no, not every day.

[C]

It's not daily. I don't get many loads. But if I do, I usually have Nerds. Gummy clusters.

[B]

Okay, Nerds. Gummy clusters. That's the squishy in the middle and then the nerds stuck to the outside, Right? Yeah, they're not bad. They're not bad at all. But Sour Skittles, what do you do when you're sleeping and you're low, like in the middle of the night, if your mom or dad comes in?

[C]

My mom. My mom probably either puts some Nerds Gummy Clusters in my mouth and doesn't wake me up.

[B]

Do you chew them up in your.

[C]

Stomach or she just wakes me up and she's like, hey, can you take some? And she's like, hey. And then she just keeps, like, giving me nerds coming closer. And I'm like, what's my blood sugar?

[B]

Do you ask? Do you wanna know what's right?

[C]

I ask, what's my blood sugar?

[B]

Right.

[C]

And then they just tell me a number that it's either not low, but drop, like, a lot of points, or it's just low, slow, and you have.

[B]

To take care of it. Yeah. Yeah. How does it. How does it feel to know that your parents are helping you all the time?

[C]

It feels great. Because then I don't. Then I don't have to do all the work.

[B]

Yeah. What's the part of diabetes that you don't like the most.

[C]

Sometimes I just. I'm like, here, mom, here's my phone. Can you bullish me, please?

[B]

Oh, my daughter does that. Sometimes people.

[C]

Even if my dad told me the carbs, not my mom, I'm like, can you bullish me, please?

[B]

Do you like it when somebody takes care of it?

[C]

Yeah, I don't want to. I don't want to bullish myself.

[B]

What do you think the biggest change in your life has been since you got diabetes? Has anything changed?

[C]

A lot of things have changed. Sometimes I have to sit out because I'm low.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And then sometimes, eventually, my dad's like, hey, you have to sit down because you're low. And then he just gives me stuff. And also, kids say that they're, like, jealous of me because they're like, I want to have diabetes to get the skittles. Just for the candy.

[B]

Just for the candy? Yeah.

[C]

And I'm like, you don't want to be, like, shoveling candy in your mouth.

[B]

It's not fun. Right?

[C]

Wait, I could just tell them you're not always gonna have to eat it. Sometimes you're gonna have to take the stinky stuff, and it's really, really stinky.

[B]

What is stinky? Wait, what stuff?

[C]

The insulin. Oh, I think the insulin's stinky.

[B]

You don't like the way it smells?

[C]

I don't like the way people say.

[B]

They think it smells like band aids. Do you think that?

[C]

No, that's not true.

[B]

That's not what it tastes like. It smells like to you. What's it smell like?

[C]

It smells like something that'd be in a scientific project, like a hospital.

[B]

Does it smell like the hospital? Yeah, I've heard people say that too.

[C]

Well, the hospital more smells like alcohol pads.

[B]

Yeah. How did you decide to get a tandem pump? Did you see a bunch of pumps and pick.

[C]

Did your mom tell you I didn't get to pick. My mom and dad were just like, my. No one told me I'd get a tandem. I just found out the name, and I'm like, okay, I have this pump now.

[B]

Yeah, you like it?

[C]

Yeah, I like it.

[B]

Awesome. That's a good review.

[C]

I like it.

[B]

Yeah, you like it. You like not giving yourself shots, right?

[C]

Oh, I hate giving myself shots.

[B]

You didn't like that?

[C]

But sometimes, even when my brother or sister are like, I don't want to get my shots. I don't want to get my shots, I'm like, I'll get your shots for you.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So that way, they don't have to take the shots.

[B]

What do you. Can you tell me one thing you really love about the bump?

[C]

I got a choice. Pushing or popping?

[B]

Pushing or popping. So you like the choice of how it goes in?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Awesome. That's right.

[C]

I like knowing that I get to decide what I want.

[B]

Yeah, I like that, too. I've been married a long time, so I haven't made a decision in a while, but I remember it, and it is fun. Do you have any heroes that have diabetes? Anybody? Yeah. Who?

[C]

Stacy McGill.

[B]

Stacy McGill. Who is she?

[C]

From the babysitter's club.

[A]

Oh, from the babysitter's club.

[B]

That's your hero. That's awesome. How many times do you think you've read that book?

[C]

A lot.

[B]

Yeah? Do you read it yourself? Does your dad read it to you?

[C]

I don't like my dad reading to me. Oh, tell me. Unless I'm super tired. I'm like, I'm about to fall asleep. I like my dad reading to me. If that happens.

[B]

Do you ever do sleepovers or go to your friend's house? And how do you handle your diabetes with that?

[C]

My mom usually calls me when I'm at a friend's house. Except I haven't had my first sleepover.

[B]

No?

[C]

No.

[B]

Are you. So is that a thing you used to do that you don't do anymore or just. Just haven't had a chance?

[C]

I just haven't ever had a chance.

[B]

Okay. Would you like to do that?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Who are you? More like when it comes to that, but that.

[C]

I feel like Daddy.

[B]

Really? Interesting.

[C]

Yeah. Daddy's always in control.

[B]

He's in control.

[C]

He's always telling me, like, what to do. Well, he's always like, you have to make your bed.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. Make your bed? Yeah. Does he make you pick up your dirty clothes, too?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

This is ridiculous. You don't have time for that. What do you want to be doing?

[C]

Watching tv?

[B]

Leah, this was really nice of you to do with me. Thank you very much. I appreciate this. Thank you. Do you have a good time? Yeah, me, too. Awesome. Good job. Thank you.

[A]

The podcast you just enjoyed was sponsored by Tandem Diabetes Care. Learn more about Tandem's newest automated insulin Delivery System, Tandem Mobi with Control IQ [e-mail] Juicebox There are links in the show notes and [e-mail] if you'd like to hear about diabetes management in easy to take in bits, check out the Small Sips. That's the series on the Juicebox podcast that listeners are talking about like it's a cheat code. These are perfect little bursts of clarity. One person said I finally understood things I've heard a hundred times. Short, simple, and somehow exactly what I needed. People say Small Sips feels like someone pulling up a chair, sliding a cup across the table, and giving you one clean idea at a time. Nothing overwhelming, no fire hose of information. Just steady, helpful nudges that actually stick. People listen in their car, on walks, or while they're actually bolusing anytime that they need a quick shot of perspective. And the reviews? They all say the same thing. Small sips makes diabetes make sense. Search for the juice box Podcast Small Sips wherever you get audio.