Diabetes Management; Managing A Child's Diabetes At School

As the school year winds down, parents of children with
diabetes may want to take a few minutes to evaluate their
child's relationship with the school. Was the school staff able
to handle any problems that arose this year? "There needs to be
really good communication between the parent and the school,"
says Virginia Zamudio, R.N., M.S.N., C.D.E. and past president
of the American Association of Diabetes Educators.

Assessing how things are going and establishing effective
diabetes management at school can yield a variety of positive
results, including:

* Promoting a healthy, productive learning environment (when
your child is experiencing lows, it is very difficult for him
or her to learn)

* Reducing school absences and classroom disruptions

* Creating an effective response in a diabetes-related
emergency

The younger the child, the more important it is to check in
with the school on a week-to-week basis. Age matters: A
recently diagnosed kindergartner will need a much different
approach than the one you'd take with a high school senior who
has been managing diabetes since childhood.

At every age, however, you should talk with your child
regularly about how things are going. In a little
heart-to-heart, you might help him or her become adept at
recognizing signs of trouble and asking for help if and when
it's needed. You also have to give school personnel enough
information so that you can trust they will look out for your
child's welfare.

Provide the school with an individual action plan from your
child's doctor that gives instructions on: testing, shots, oral
medications for low blood sugar problems, dietary requirements
(e.g., need for snacks), and explicit plans for handling low
and high blood sugar.

"If the nurse isn't available, even the bus driver and other
school personnel need to be able to recognize if your child is
having symptoms of hypoglycemia and offer a form of
quick-acting sugar," Zamudio says. Work to establish an overall
diabetes-friendly environment. The American Diabetes
Association's Safe at School campaign recommends that capable
students should be allowed to self-manage their diabetes in the
classroom and during school activities. To learn more about
diabetes management at school, go to
diabetes.org/advocacy-and-legalresources/discrimination/school/safeschool.jsp

Open communication between you, your child and the school staff
is the key. With a diabetes management plan in place at school,
you and your child can rest easier knowing the right care will
be given when it's needed.

Writer: Kalia Doner

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