4 Back To School Tips For Families Managing Type 1 Diabetes
4 Back to School Tips for Families Managing Type 1 Diabetes You may have heard some concerns about schools not being cooperative; and in some cases you may need an advocate to help you work through those issues. The good news your child is most likely not alone. Most schools have or are currently supporting other children with Type 1 and theyre already equipped to help. Here are a few strategies that can help make going back-to-school easier for you, your child, and the school: 1. Rally a broad support team. While you should definitely work with the school nurse and your physician in planning for your childs care, there are many others that can provide day-to-day support. They dont need a full education about Type 1 diabetes to be able to help. Just keep it simple and positive. For example: If you notice my child looking pale or acting dizzy or clumsy, he needs some juice or a snack. He usually keeps something in his backpack, the classroom, or at the office. Can you watch out for him and make sure he gets a snack? Here are some great people to have on your support team: Other parents (for field trips and PTA events) 2. Help make lunch a success. Planning ahead is the best way to help your child have success at lunch. Establishing a good routine in partnership with your school is really important. Testing blood glucose. Decide ahead of time when, where, and who will test blood glucose. Reporting blood glucose results. Determine a method to have the blood glucose number reported to you. This may include arranging for an email from the school office, having your child text a photo of number on the meter, or calling it in. Having a reporting process is important to make sure testing is not missed. This is especially important for teens. Counting carbs. Plan for foods that Continue reading >>
"superstar" Schools Set The Bar For Diabetes Care
"Superstar" Schools Set the Bar for Diabetes Care Jordon Lebsock (right), 9, with his brother, Trey, 7, and their dogs, Daisy and Buster. Buster (foreground) is a diabetes service dog. When Cheryl Lebsock's son Jordon began first grade at Stargate Elementary in Denver, she met with school staff to set up a diabetes care plan. At the time, no one at Stargate kept glucagon on hand to treat severely low blood glucose, teachers and other personnel weren't trained in diabetes care, and just correcting a low could mean leaving class for a visit to the school health clinic. Jordon struggled with frequent blood glucose fluctuations and regularly missed substantial chunks of class time. Today, Stargate Elementary is recognized as an American Diabetes Association Safe at School Superstar, a school that provides exemplary care for students with diabetes. It is one of seven schools to receive the award for 20092010, the program's pilot academic year. Stargate now has several teachers and other staff members trained to help kids with diabetes. That means that no matter where the school nurse is on a given day, someone else with training is available, even on field trips. And Stargate permits Jordon, now 9, to stay in class when he checks his blood glucose. When Allison Episkopos, RN, became the school nurse at Stargate five years ago, Jordon was the first student with diabetes in her care. Under her leadership, the school adopted new policies for handling kids with diabetes. Staffers were trained in how to inject glucagon in accordance with federal law (which requires schools to provide health services to students with disabilities that are necessary for them to attend school safely) and as expressly provided for in Colorado Board of Nursing regulations. Episkopos crafted a plan th Continue reading >>
Diabetes At School: Low Blood Sugar Classroom Kits
Diabetes at School: Low Blood Sugar Classroom Kits Summary: Low blood sugar classroom kits, including fast-acting sugar such as juice and glucose tablets, can be stashed throughout the school where your student with type 1 diabetes might need them. In addition to the long list of school supplies we have to gather each fall, we also have to get all of our diabetes supplies together. We decided with the school to stash some low blood sugar kits throughout the school. Q doesnt carry her supply bag everywhere, so its good to have items to quickly treat lows when she is in other areas of the school such as PE, music, art, and library. I keep these simple and only include the basics. If she needs additional snacks or treatment, she can return to the classroom where her supplies are kept. I like to use pencil boxes because they are sturdy and cheap. And I label them with our medical alert labels . Blood glucose meter, test strips, lancing device, lancets Travel roll of glucose tablets and/or Smarties Tip: Pick up extra blood sugar meters at diabetes walks, product expos, and camps. Your endocrinologist can write you a prescription so that you can pick one up at the pharmacy. Insurance companies often pay all or most of the cost. You can also call the manufacturer and see if they will send you additional meters. Back to School with Diabetes : Lots of information and links! I have an entire chapter about school in my book Kids First, Diabetes Second. Read more posts about Diabetes at School . Please remember that I never give medical advice . Ask your endocrinologist or pediatrician for advice about your own child. Make your own informed decisions for your own child. Do you have an example of the instruction sheet you enclose in the class kits ? Continue reading >>
Many Schools Failing On Type 1 Diabetes Care
Health |Many Schools Failing on Type 1 Diabetes Care Quintarius Monroe, who has Type 1 diabetes, checks his blood sugar before football practice at Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, Ala. Credit Bob Miller for The New York Times With twin boys ready for school, Jason and Jessica Pollard braced for paperwork, parent-teacher meetings and shopping trips for supplies. But they were not prepared for the reception their son, Owen, then 5, received from school administrators. Officials at their neighborhood kindergarten and a nearby private academy said he would not be allowed to attend because he has Type 1 diabetes . The Pollards, doctors in Seattle, were flabbergasted. One headmaster said that Owen would never be accepted because of his disability. It took everything in me not give him the middle finger, said Dr. Jessica Pollard, a pediatric oncologist. The Pollards are hardly the first family to face this kind of discrimination. Too many schools are failing to provide the growing number of students who have Type 1 diabetes with the routine care they need, such as insulin shots or blood sugar monitoring, federal regulators and diabetes experts say. And often, parents do not know they have the legal right to insist on it. The incidence of Type 1 diabetes among children has increased by 21 percent in recent years. In 2009, an estimated 167,000 children had the disease, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In nearly 400 cases since 2011, parents have brought complaints to federal authorities about schools that decline to care for these students. Experts say the number vastly understates the problem in public and private education ( Share your own experience here) . Many children have been barred from attending their zoned schoo Continue reading >>
Diabetes Prep For School Emergencies
Brought to you by Lilly Diabetes | Disney Another school year is quickly approaching, and its time to start putting plans in place for diabetes maintenance at school. This year, my focus is just a bit different. Well stick with the same procedures that have worked so well for the last couple of years, but my goal is to add some extra precautions in case of an extreme emergency. It seems like every time I turn around, I hear about some major emergency or tragedy that has happened somewhere in the country. Sometimes I feel like I dont even want to let my precious kids out of my sight, even though I know that these incidents are rare. While I dont want to dwell on the terrible things that could happen when my kids are at school, I also know that it is a possibility that something bad could happen, and I want to be as prepared as possible. So with that in mind, heres my plan: 1. Have an emergency kit in the classroom. We have always kept a generous amount of all the supplies Kaitlyn would ever need in the school office. We have extra insulin, syringes, testing kits, lancets, batteries, pump supplies, emergency shots, glucose tabs and even a food scale. What we have been lacking all this time is an emergency kit in the classroom. If there were ever a lockdown and Kaitlyn was not able to leave the classroom, she would need some supplies. She knows how to check herself and operate her pump, but that knowledge would not do her any good if she didnt have a kit to test herself with. So I am going to send in an extra testing kit with plenty of test strips, juice and glucose tabs, and an emergency treatment for severely low blood sugar. 2. Meet with the teacher and give detailed instructions. In the past, our instructions to the teacher have been pretty vague, because we have assu Continue reading >>
Back-to-school Night With Type 1 Diabetes
Back-to-School Night With Type 1 Diabetes My son with type 1 diabetes starts kindergarten the day after tomorrow. Hes excited, and were excited. We anticipate a safe environment in which hell learn, grow, and be healthy. Weve met and planned with the school, but just hours ago, on the walkhomefrom back-to-school night, tiny cyclones of fear, worry, and jealously snaked inside me. Back-to-school night with type 1 diabetes means a pile of glucose tabs, glucagon kits, test strips, extra insets, a ketone serum meter, airheads for the really low lows, spreadsheets of instructions, snacks with carbs, snacks without carbs, lancets, a back-up meter, and extra adhesive have been queued in your dinning room for a week. Back-to-school night with type 1 diabetes means you walk your son to all the bathrooms closest to his classroom. You point out the water fountains along the way.Back-to-school night with type 1 diabetes is taking four times as long to drop off materialsas other families because you have so many more items. In fact, when youre dropping off supplies and signing form after form in the nurses office, the courteous mother behind you tells the staff shell be back tomorrow, meaning when theyre less busy. Its realizing, in that moment, despite your two big bags of supplies, that you forgot the snacks with carbs, so youll be back tomorrow as well. Back-to-school night with type 1 diabetes iswalking the routebetween the nurses office and his classroom several times, just to make sure he doesnt get lost. You realize its a trip hell make several times a day, and hell know it like the back of his hand in a week. Back-to-school night with type 1 diabetes is rushing fromwork to the pharmacy so you can get the glucagon kits for school, and as you walk past the cashier to the phar Continue reading >>
Standards Of Care For Students With Type 1 Diabetes: Ensuring Safety, Health And Inclusion In School
Standards of care for students with type 1 diabetes: Ensuring safety, health and inclusion in school Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba Correspondence: Genevie Henderson, Health Sciences Centre, FE307 685 William Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0Z2. Telephone 204-787-1207, fax 204-787-1655, e-mail [email protected] Copyright 2005, Pulsus Group Inc. All rights reserved Parents of children with type 1 diabetes commonly worry about the ability of school personnel to respond to their childs diabetes needs, and may feel anxious about the health, safety and inclusion of their child in school. Physicians may be confronted by parents fears, anxieties and apprehension, and need to know how to make recommendations based on current best practice. The present article describes the school standards from the position paper of the Canadian Diabetes Association titled, Standards of care for students with type 1 diabetes in school and a resource booklet available through < www.diabetes.ca >. Highlights of the school standards provide reference to guide physicians in their advice and support of parents. Physicians can use these resources to enable parents to advocate their childs care and support in the school setting. Keywords: Advocacy, Schools, Standards of care for students with type 1 diabetes Les parents denfants atteints de diabte insulinodpendant sinquitent souvent de la capacit du personnel scolaire rpondre aux besoins relatifs au diabte de leur enfant et peuvent se sentir angoisss lgard de la sant, de la scurit et du maintien de leur enfant lcole. Les mdecins peuvent devoir affronter les craintes, les angoisses et les apprhensions des parents, et ils doivent savoir comment faire des recommandations fondes sur les meilleures pratiques courantes. Le prsent article dcri Continue reading >>
- American Diabetes Association® Releases 2018 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, with Notable New Recommendations for People with Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes
- Communication, careful planning ensure students with diabetes can succeed at school
- New ADA 2017 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes
Sample Back To School Supply Lists For D
This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More. I've been putting together all of Connor's supplies and forms for back-to-school. It is always time consuming (and expensive!) to put all his kits together. I typed up our school supply lists for his diabetes supplies for this year, and I thought that some of you might find it helpful when you are preparing for school for your child. Please let me know if there is anything I should add, and please add your own inventory lists to this thread. Connor is on MDI, going into 2nd grade, carrying his own diabetes bag with a meter and basic supplies. It would be great to get some supply lists for children who are pumping, using CGMS's, are more independent or less independent in their care, etc. I love when we can all learn from each other. Thank you! Sample List of Type-1 Diabetic Back-to-School Supplies Student is on Multiple Daily Injections (MDI), 2nd grader, public school with full time school nurse Supplies for School Nurse: (tackle box sized container labeled "Medical Supplies", name, type-1 diabetes, home phone number, recent photo of child taped to top of box). Label all supplies with child's name using a Sharpie pen. Log book: for notes to/from home to school nurse about blood sugars, record of lunch consumed and insulin dosage, supplies needing replenishment, notes about changes in ratios, upcoming appointments or field trip coverage, etc. Diabetes Individual Health Plan (DIHP) with medical care instructions from endocrinologist to school nurse (print pages 57-60 from "Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed manual if you don't have one) Quick Reference Emergency Plan for a Student with Diabetes from "Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed - A Guide for S Continue reading >>
The On-the-go T1d Kit
The “T1D On-The-Go Kit” is the extra back-up of supplies that you may need if your car breaks down or you’ve forgotten something when you’re on the go — it could be for a sporting event from home, in the car for your work commute, at the studio, gym or any other place you frequent. It is not intended for long duration emergency care that you find in the Natural Disaster Emergency Kit. This kit should go with you when you’re on the move and used in the event that you need something extra. Remember: Use any bag that is easy to identify, secure and has enough space to hold everything. You may consider getting a waterproof or insulated bag. It is a good idea to label your bag with name and medical ID as well as contact details. Consider getting a system like Tile to keep track of your bag and locate it in case it gets lost. Diabetes Travel Essentials The go-to device for testing your blood sugar levels. Insulin The American Diabetes Association recommends packing a 3-day supply. Include short-acting as well as long-acting insulin. When insulin is kept cool at the recommended temperature of 36° F – 46° F, it will last until its expiration date. Unrefrigerated insulin can be stored at a temperature between 59°F-86°F and may be effective up to 28 days. Don’t forget to rotate supplies so that your emergency kit does not contain expired products. A Cooler (Optional) Include 4 reusable ice packs to keep insulin cool. (FRIO makes insulin pouches that cool when submerged in water.) Never use insulin that has been frozen. Syringes and/ or Pen Needles Both deliver insulin; it depends on what’s your instrument of choice. If you are on a pump you should carry emergency needles and insulin vials, or an emergency pen in case of failure. Also, carry extra syringes fo Continue reading >>
Sending Your Type 1 Elementary Student Back To School
Sending your child off to school can be an emotional time for any parent. Saying Goodbye to your Type 1 child and trusting them in the care of someone else however is a whirlwind experience for many parents. Fueled by anxiety, fear, and worry, many parents find themselves often times concerned for their childrens safety while at school. Before we continue with this article, I wanted to let you know we have researched and compiled science-backed ways to stick to your diet and reverse your diabetes. Want to check out our insights? Download our free PDF Guide Power Foods to Eat here. In order to start the school year right, and help to minimize your fear and worry, you will want to establish ways to ensure you feel your child is safe and secure while in the care of school officials. One way to do this is to educate them properly. If you are new to the world of diabetes and school management, you may be unsure of where to start, and even confused. Dont worry, we got you covered. In fact, this guide will lay out everything you need to know to ensure your childs safety while at school. The first thing you will want to get prepared for your childs school is a diabetes medical management plan (DMMP). This is the plan that will lay out how your childs diabetes regimen should go when they are in the care of the school. You will want to work with your medical team to determine the best treatment methods for school ahead of time. What types of snacks they use to treat any low blood sugars ? Can they give their own injections, bolus for food or test themselves if needed? After you have determined the right plan for your child, you will want to meet with your school nurse to review the DMMP and ensure they understand it. 504 Plan or Individualized Educational Program (IEP) Different Continue reading >>
What To Pack In Your Diabetes Emergency Kit
No matter the season, Mother Nature can wreak havoc in our lives. Other emergencies can turn our world upside down. For those people with type 1 diabetes, always being prepared is essential. Below is a list of things that should be in your diabetes emergency kit. Excerpted from Kids First, Diabetes Second by Leighann Calentineand published by Spry Publishing; available wherever books are sold. Diabetes Preparedness Kit My daughter with type 1 diabetes, Quinn, learned about “preparedness” at school and had the idea to make a diabetes preparedness kit at home. Every part of the country has some type of severe weather, and you need to be prepared in case you have to take shelter or leave the house quickly. I’m not sure why I hadn’t thought of this before. In the past when we heard tornado sirens, I swooped up some supplies and ran downstairs. Now we have a kit stocked with everything we might need (except insulin), and I keep it in the pantry where we take cover. We store insulin in the refrigerator because it needs to be kept cool, but we can quickly grab it if needed. Keep your kit in a designated spot so that it can be grabbed quickly, and don’t forget to rotate any supplies that might expire. The plastic container we purchased has two interlocking tiers. The diabetes supplies are in the top tier, and bottled water and snacks are in the bottom. We also take the kit with us when we travel or go camping, or when Quinn has a sleepover at her grandparents’ house. Diabetes Preparedness Kit (Tailor to the supplies that you use.) Plastic container, ideally with a handle so that it’s portable Blood glucose meter Blood glucose test strips Blood ketone meter and blood ketone strips OR urine ketone strips Lancing device Lancets Alcohol swabs Syringes (for both MDI an Continue reading >>
School - Typeonenation
Back to School season can be an overwhelming time for students living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their parents and caregivers. It requires paperwork, special planning and many conversations with teachers, school nurses and other students about T1D and how its managed at school. The good news is that with JDRFs help, you dont have to feel overwhelmed. Looking for resources and lively community discussions to help you start the school year confident that T1D wont stand in the way? JDRF has it all. Check out the links below to get information and join conversations about going Back to School with T1D. Request the JDRF School Advisory Toolkit andfind information for parents and educators to developstrong partnershipsto give every child the best possible school experience. Join the conversation at TypeOneNation.org . Exchange information, advice and support on JDRFs online resource community. Educate your classmates! JDRF videos and resources and the JDRF Kids Walk to Cure Diabetes program are fun and educational ways for familiesto explain the basics of T1D. Ready to do more? Hold a JDRF Kids Walk at your school. Create a school plan tailored for your needs as a newly diagnosed student with T1D! See more information below. In the United States, schools that receive federal funds are mandated by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to deliver free appropriate education to children with disabilities, including T1D. A 504 Plan is a legal (written) document specifying what reasonable modifications and accommodations the school must provide for a student with a disability (generally put into place for a student with a medical disability such as diabetes). Children with T1D are protected under this law. 504 Plans are a way for you to hold the school accountable for Continue reading >>
Your Back-to-school Checklist
Brought to you by Lilly Diabetes | Disney The back-to-school countdown has begun! In the midst of buying new notebooks and planning first-day outfits, parents of children with diabetes have the added responsibility of making sure school management plans are in place and ready to go before the school year begins. If you are the parent of a child newly diagnosed with diabetes over the summer, this extra layer of school planning may feel overwhelming. What essentials should be on your back-to-school checklist? Here are seven step-by-step ideas for how to get ready before the school bell rings. Every child with diabetes has different needs. However, according to Crystal Jackson, Director of the American Diabetes Associations Safe at School program, the typical first step before a newly diagnosed child returns to school is a phone call or communication with the school to inform administrators and the school nurse about the childs new health requirements. In general, schools typically respond to news of a students diagnosis by requesting a copy of the doctors orders for the child or the childs diabetes medical management plan (DMMP), a document that outlines not only doctors orders concerning diabetes management but also other school-relevant issues, including how skilled the child is with blood sugar checks and other care tasks. In your initial contact with the school also remember to ask if the school has its own health forms for completion by your childs treating provider, Jackson recommends. Make sure you contact your childs provider as early as possible to allow them plenty of time to help you with this paperwork. Learn a bout 504 Plans and your state law. If your child attends a public school or private school that receives any federal funding, you have the right to re Continue reading >>
Mom Creates Diabetes Box For Back To School - How To Make A Low Box
Back-to-school prep usually entails new school supplies and a first day outfit, but for some children a little more preparation is needed to make sure that they are safe and healthy when the new year rolls around. Example: Leah Rowe, a fifth graded with Type 1 diabetes. Leah's mom Lauren is getting some serious recognition for a picture she posted to Facebook of Leah's "diabetes box," or a "low box" as it is sometimes called, that includes everything her daughter needs if her blood sugar goes out of whack during the school day. "I put one in every classroom she goes to. It's great for substitutes," the Florida mom explains in a Facebook post that has since been shared over 39,000 times. "It has glucose tabs and snacks for high and low blood sugar. And the Nurse's Box with the Glucagon pen is clearly marked." The front of the kit also features a clear picture of Leah along with explicit instructions of what she need through out the day along with signs of both high and low blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association suggests that parents meet with their child's medical provider and then their teachers and school nurses to determine any diabetes regimen as well as a plan for emergencies. They also recommend providing instructions for all of the adults who will be responsible for your child throughout the day, including bus drivers, coaches and other teachers in the school, and sending your child to school along with a "low box." According to Beyond Type 1 , each kit should have: Concise instructions for how to test and treat low blood sugar Instructions for when to call for extra help Extra vial of test strips and batteries for meters and pumps as needed As well as making sure to give your child's nurses office: Infusion sets and supplies for insertion, like alcohol p Continue reading >>
Diabetes Advocacy...going To School
Sending any child to school may often cause a parent great anxiety at leaving their little angel in the care of strangers for an extended period of time. This anxiety becomes ten-fold when sending a child with a chronic illness to school. No one can possibly care for our child like we do so how do you keep your child as safe as possible when you arent there? If you live in the USA, you ensure that you have a 504 Plan in place that outlines the quality of care and responsibilities legally required by the school. If you live in Canada the road is not as clear. In Canada, each board has a separate policy. If your board does not have a Diabetes Policy in place, approach them and ask that it be done. With the increased number of children being diagnosed with this disease, it is in their best interest to prepare specific policies relating to the care of students with this disease. Ask to have a say, investigate other policies and try to work out one that is mutually beneficial to all parties. Policy or not, 504 Plan or not, your child must still be educated and it is still the parents responsibility to do as much as they can to prepare the school to care for their child. Contact your school and ask for an in-service with all personnel who will be in contact with your child. Have your CDE or public health nurse attend to ensure that everyone is properly trained and aware of what is involved in having a child with Type 1 diabetes in their school. If your child is on an Insulin pump, you may wish to show the pump or have pictures of it made available so that everyone understands that it is a piece of medical equipment.You may also wish to go over some of the alarms so that staff are aware of what to do even if your child is either too young to understand or not able to communic Continue reading >>
