Emojis for texting DexCom data: A New School Plan Update
Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 8:09AM 
We are three weeks into the 2012 school year and I am back to report some amazing news. I'm not even sure I believe this, but Arden has yet to visit the school nurse for anything diabetes related. Not once, nada, zero times!
Our New Plan is working even better then I imagined due in large part to how smooth technology has made the transition. Apple's latest upgrade to the iPhone software included the addition of an emoji keyboard and we are making good use of it in our conversations about type I.
We try to keep our interactions as short as possible to minimize the time Arden is distracted from her school work. I estimate that our plan saves Arden from missing between forty-five minutes and an hour each day of class time, but there is always room for improvement. So when I noticed that our texting conversations were taking more time then I thought they should, I wondered why. Arden and I spoke and it turned out that she was struggling to spell some of the words that we use to discuss her DexCom CGM data. Words like, diagonal and horizontal. Other issues were less to do about spelling and more about word count. For example, "189 diagonal up" or "143 straight across". That's when I thought, "if there is an emoji of a heart, dress, shoe and dog pooh there must be arrows".
and there was...
So now we are speaking to each other with even more economy of time and our texting conversations have been trimmed in half, which makes more time for learning.
Emoji can be activated on Apple devices running iOS 6 like so. Settings>General>Keyboard>Keyboards>Add New Keyboard>Emoji. If you talk to your child about their DexCom data via text message this is more then worth your time to set up.
Another nice feature to check out is 'Send Read Receipts'. This one is great not just for diabetes, but for every parent/child texting conversation. Send Read Receipts allows you to see when the person on the other end of your conversation has read your message. It looks like this...
This setting is accessible by taking these steps. Settings>Messages>Send Read Receipts. Changing the setting to on "Allows others to be notified when you have read their messages". No more wondering if the person you are texting with has seen your message. Turning this feature on is a no-brainer for parents, but if you are trying to avoid someone, well, that's a whole other consideration.
CGM, Follow Up, School, iPhone, technology, type I in Daddy's Blog, DexCom Blog, School Blog
Reader Comments (11)
Effing Brilliant.
Thanks Bennet, means a lot coming from you!
VERY cool!!!! I love this idea! I may use it to text the hubby my readings and stuff. :-)
I love how technology can make the "Stuff" we have to do a wee-bit easier and more enjoyable. Thanks for sharing Scott!!
I am so happy that you all liked the idea! Thanks for commenting, it's wonderful to hear from you each of you!
This is totally awesome. I almost wish I had someone to text my CGM data to, that would care! ;)
Stacey do you want me to manage your BGs for a day? Give you a break and a chance to text some arrows? :)
Can you find a way to incorporate the poop emoji?
Sara - What if the next time Arden's texts a BG that we don't expect/like I respond, "Oh <pooh emoji>?
:)
Thanks to your post, I've been playing with this idea for a few months now, and the school has agreed to work with us on this path. While my daughter is one of three T1 kids at her school, she's the only one on a pump (Omnipod, too), and so has been forging her own path regarding D-care there. Like you, we have a school that works well with us, and is open to new ideas.
The phone was obtained last night, and we meet to finalize details tomorrow. Thanks for sharing so that we could steal this brilliant idea!
Wendy - Your note makes me so happy! I hope that you enjoy the same successful experience we have. Texting from school and other places has been wonderful for Arden... I can't say enough good things.
Please let me know how it goes!
Best,
Scott