Type One Diabetes For Teachers

Tips For Teachers: American Diabetes Association

The information provided below is meant to help inform teachers about how to keep kids with diabetes safe at school. Learn as much as you can about diabetes. Knowledge is power. Become aware of essential diabetes care tasks and be prepared to respond in the event of a diabetes emergency. Your willingness to learn will help to ensure a safe classroom environment and optimize your student's success and participation. Every student with diabetes is different. Students may use different therapies to manage their diabetes. Some need help and some are independent. Learn about your student's diabetes and how you can best respond and support. Provide a supportive learning environment. It is important to provide a classroom environment that enables the student to have unrestricted access to needed care. Depending upon the student's level of independence, he or she should be allowed to self-manage their diabetes and should have unrestricted access to the school nurse and other trained school personnel. Collaborate with other school staff. Teachers and other school staff members with supervisory responsibility for the student should participate in team meetings and understand your role in implementing the student's diabetes care plan and written accommodations plan. Understand federal and state legal protections for the student with diabetes. Become familiar with federal and state laws that protect students with diabetes and understand your role in the development and implementation of the student's written plans. Provide modifications as set out in the student's written accommodation plan. Familiarize yourself with the modifications spelled out in the student's written plan(s). Always be prepared. A "low kit" containing food and other supplies to treat hypoglycemia should always Continue reading >>

10 Things School Staff Should Know About Type 1 Diabetes

10 things school staff should know about type 1 diabetes 10 things school staff should know about type 1 diabetes Children will not outgrow type 1 diabetes: With type 1 diabetes, the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin have been destroyed. People with type 1 diabetes will always have to take insulin injections (until there is a cure). Changes in lifestyle or diet will not improve type 1 diabetes. Insulin is not a cure: But it is the only treatment. Without insulin, people with type 1 diabetes would die. It takes a lot of work to manage diabetes: Children with type 1 diabetes usually look healthy. Thats because they and their families are working hard to keep blood sugar levels in a target range. They do this by checking levels frequently, and acting quickly when neededsuch as adding insulin to account for a special treat, or having a snack because of extra physical activity. Technology is helpful, but it doesnt work on its own: Some students wear insulin pumps to deliver insulin. A pump is another way to deliver insulin, and whether or not to use a pump is an individual choice. Other students wear continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), which take blood sugar readings every few minutes. But none of these devices works on its own. People still have to carefully monitor blood sugar, food intake, and activity, and make decisions about how much insulin to give and when. Blood sugar levels can change quickly: Its important to check blood sugar often, because there are many factors that can cause it to change from minute to minute. Low blood sugar needs immediate attention: If a student feels low, or you suspect a student is low, act right away. Do not leave the student alone. Check blood sugar, and give fast-acting sugar as needed. High blood sugar means extra trips to t Continue reading >>

Type 1 Diabetes

Live a healthy life with Type 1 Diabetes. Choose exercise guidelines and self-management solutions that are specific for your diabetes treatment. Using this Website This website can help you learn about, and live a healthy life with type 1 diabetes. It is divided into 3 main sections: The modules can be read in any order. However, if you are newly diagnosed, it is best to start at the beginning in Understanding Diabetes, and work your way through the material. Below you will find a guide to each module. As you will see, depending upon your individual therapy, you can choose exercise guidelines and self-management sections that are specific for your diabetes treatment. Additionally, throughout the program, Self-assessment quizzes are available to help you monitor your progress, and how much you are learning. The Modules are: Additional modules: Continue reading >>

A Teacher’s Guide To Kids With Type 1 Diabetes

Note: This article is a part of our library of resources for Elementary/Primary School. Read more on test taking, diabetic alert dogs, class presentations and creating a school treatment plan. Being a teacher comes with the responsibility of taking care of 20-30 children on a daily basis. In your career, you may have a student with Type 1 diabetes in your class. Although you may feel overwhelmed about what to expect, there is no need! This guide will make you aware of the conditions of a child with T1D, which will give you a better understanding of how to keep him or her healthy and safe at school. What is Type 1 diabetes? Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that occurs when a person’s own immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells in their pancreas. People with Type 1 are insulin-dependent for life, and must manually give themselves insulin through multiple daily injections or an insulin pump. They must carefully balance insulin, food, exercise, and other factors in order to prevent or minimize serious short and long-term complications due to out of range blood sugar levels. If you have not heard much about Type 1, here are some other fast facts – T1D is not caused by a lack of exercise or eating too much sugar T1D is not contagious There is no cure for T1D at the present moment Although T1D has also been called “juvenile diabetes,” T1D affects both children and adults How can I help? It is important to remember that children with T1D can participate in all of the same activities as other kids, such as play sports and join activities. They can also eat sweets and any other type of food/drink, as long as they are giving themselves the appropriate amount of insulin to cover the meal. Some foods affect blood sugar levels differently than others. Read Continue reading >>

An Open Letter To Teachers Of Students With Type 1 Diabetes

An Open Letter to Teachers of Students with Type 1 Diabetes Six things to remember for the coming school year. Thank you for doing your best to take care of the needs of students with Type 1 diabetes. We know you have a tough job, with many demands on your time and attention. You would not have been tasked with this additional responsibility if it were not vitally important to the health and success of these students. Here are some things that you will need to be aware of in the coming school year: With so many inquisitive faces looking to you for attention and direction, it may be difficult to balance the needs of each unique student. Please remember that a student experiencing low blood sugar is of immediate concern. If a student with Type 1 diabetes begins acting strangely, you must find out if its a result of a dangerous swing in blood sugar levels, and then treat the situation according to the directions of the students parents and medical team. Please do not ever send a student exhibiting signs of low blood sugar to the health office or back to class by his/herself. A student with low blood sugar should be able to stay in the classroom to test and treat in place. However, if you have to send the student somewhere, they must have a buddy that can make sure they get from Point A to Point B safely. When your student with Type 1 diabetes needs to go to the bathroom, remember that they may be experiencing a blood sugar swing that is causing them physical discomfort. Permit them access to water and the restroom as needed. Dont single them out, ridicule them, or deny them the ability to do what is needed to take care of themselves. Saying no wont just cause them continued discomfort; it will be a moment they will remember going forward, whenever they need to do somethin Continue reading >>

Classroom Problems And Solutions - Diabetes

Missed school days are a risk. Several studies suggest that children with diabetes miss about 8 more days of school per year than their healthy classmates. Another recent study suggests a bigger problem by showing that students with diabetes miss almost 10% of scheduled school days. Interestingly, attendance problems may also spillover over to brothers and sisters. Health care experts speculate that siblings sometimes stay home while parents work, acting as frontline disease managers. A few students with type 1 diabetes appear to exaggerate symptoms to avoid class, although little actual research exists to determine the extent of this potential problem. Less research has been conducted regarding students with type 2 diabetes, but it is likely that, as with any chronic illness, regular attendance is diminished. Missed school days may be only part of the missed instruction picture. Students with type 1 diabetes may need to leave class to care for themselves and fulfill their particular disease self-management requirements. A 2006 study found that among students (average age 12 years), 56% had to miss class for routine, non-emergent diabetes care. Although some schools permit in-class blood sugar checks (which can minimize time out of class), others require that students go to the nurses office to draw blood or check blood sugar levels. No conclusive research, however, has yet established how much instructional time is routinely missed when students are forced to leave class to manage their disease. Most teachers recognize the crucial importance of regular attendance. More than two decades ago, research confirmed that frequent absences predict problems in reading, spelling, and arithmetic among students with chronic illness. Several factors have been linked to missed scho Continue reading >>

Diabetes (type 1) And Primary School - Myvmc

Starting primary school with type 1 diabetes Having a child start primary school is difficult at the best of times. It can be tough deciding on the right school and then theres the challenge of getting comfortable with the idea of letting go. When your child has type 1 diabetes the challenges of finding a suitable school and handing over care to someone else are even bigger. Its a condition that requires frequent and regular monitoring and attention to detail to ensure blood glucose levels remain in the safe range. Insulin can effectively control blood glucose, however theres always the fear that too much or too little insulin will cause complications or affect the childs behaviour. But as Suzie and Tristans experience shows, like all children, type 1 diabetics can attend school, make friends and have a good time. And like all other parents, their mums and dads can find a little relief from caring for a child with a chronic illness. Being emotionally prepared for starting school In the lead up to the start of kinder (preschool) last year I was beside myself, Suzie said. For a good 6 months before Tristan started it really affected me, I was so worried that something would go wrong. Reading about other parents experiences on the online support group I belong to really helped. I asked lots of questions to make sure that everything possible was covered. Leading up to Prep (Kindergarten) this year, I went through the same emotions. At preschool Tristan was in a group of 30 kids. Now he was going to a school of around 300 kids. I had to make sure that the staff had all the information they required to look after Tristan. Like all parents, Suzie looked around for a good school for her son. But Tristans type 1 diabetes meant there was a lot more to consider. I had meetings wi Continue reading >>

What Your Child’s Teacher Should Know To Manage Diabetes At School

Whether your child has been newly diagnosed or has been living with type 1 diabetes for some time, it’s very challenging. Many parents find it difficult to trust someone other than themselves or family members with training to care for their children. But when school time arises it will be time to send them off to be monitored and cared for by someone else many hours out of the day. Entrusting the medical needs of your child to someone else will be hard, but it’s a necessary step in teaching them to be more independent and live a happy, social life despite having type 1 diabetes. Parents Responsibilities for School It is your job, as your child’s parent to help create an environment when they are at school where they feel safe, cared for properly and treated equally to other students. With the proper planning and preparation, you provide this environment with the help of their teachers and school staff. The first step is to take the initiative to educate staff and teachers on the care of a type 1 student. Many school staff members may not realize there are a few additional efforts which are required on their end to ensure a positive learning environment where the child with type 1 diabetes feels safe. I advice reading the following: Ensuring Success at School Advanced planning: By making sure you plan ahead of time you will help to enable your child how to problem solve specific situations in school involving their diabetes. Here is a great tip: remember even with proper planning and a well-organized family, there will still be times when your plans don’t go according to plan. Communication: Good communication with the school and yourself is crucial to your child’s safety and well-being while at school. It will also help to provide yourself with a peace of min Continue reading >>

10 Tips For Teachers Of Students With Diabetes

Home Education and Information 10 Tips for Teachers of Students with Diabetes 10 Tips for Teachers of Students with Diabetes Posted by Editorial Team On August 14, 2014 In Education and Information The upcoming school year is approaching and its time to start preparing your children for a successful year. If one (or more) of them live with diabetes, you have a little more planning than most to think about. Elementary school Principal with type 1 diabetes and MiniMed Ambassador, Vince Myers , who you may remember from Life is a Journey, Not a Race , provides his 10 tips for you to share with your childrens teachers in preparation of the new school year. A printed copy of these tips can also come in handy when a teacher is absent and a substitute teacher is filling in. We hope this will be of value to all educators, particularly those who have never had a student with diabetes in their classroom. Every child with diabetes may experience different symptoms of low blood sugar. Some of these symptoms could include weakness and/or fatigue, headaches, sweating, irritability, shaking, excessive hunger and rapid heart rate. Situations that may affect blood sugar include insulin intake, food consumption, exercise, illness, stress, and changes in routine. Your student will likely need to eat snacks during class when they feel low. This is imperative and essential in helping make sure their blood sugar doesnt drop too low. You can help your student by allowing them to keep an emergency stash of snacks (including fast-acting carbohydrates) in your classroom in case they forget. Most kids with diabetes dont want to and shouldnt be treated differently. Do not limit their activities, draw attention, or deny their request if they have or ask for water, a snack, blood sugar test, or bat Continue reading >>

Diabetes In Schools - Information For Teachers & Staff

Diabetes in schools - information for teachers & staff Diabetes in schools - information for teachers & staff This page is an overview of what teachers and staff should know about diabetes with links to further support and resources If you have a child with Type 1 diabetes in your care at school, youll know that theres a lot to think about. Or if a child with Type 1 diabetes is joining your school, there will be lots of things to put in place to ensure the child is cared for correctly. Over the past two years weve been busy supporting schools to put the right care in place for children with diabetes through our Type 1 diabetes: Make the grade campaign . Weve developed lots of easy to follow, free resources to help schools know what to do and how to do it. On this page you will find information on: Watch this video from the Safe in School campaign to hear from children, staff and parents about what good care involves. Students with Type 1 diabetes moving class in the same school Talk about if their childs classes are changing, or the staff responsible for caring for them at school. Let them know about any planned trips. And consider if there are any other changes that might affect them, such as changes to the school curriculum, timing of lunch and breaks or storage of medication and equipment. Ask parents if any aspects of the students care might change, or if there is any particular area they would like the schools help on, e.g. taking responsibility for certain aspects of care as the student grows up Arrange training for new carers, involve the diabetes nurse and parents in this. Allow time for new carers to work with current carers so that they build up their confidence and the student feels comfortable with them. Update the students individual healthcare plan if nec Continue reading >>

13 Things All Teachers Should Know About Type 1 Diabetes

Brought to you by JDRF Millions of people around the world live with type 1 diabetes (T1D), a life-threatening autoimmune disease that strikes both children and adults. JDRF is the leading global organization funding research that will one day create a world without T1D. By joining JDRF Kids Walk, not only can your students make a difference for those living with T1D, but it’s fun and easy for everyone involved! Find out how your school can help today. As an educator, you provide an extremely important set of eyes and ears for students. Since you see them throughout the day, you notice when things are different, off or just not quite right. This is incredibly helpful and comforting to parents because teachers often uncover important and even life-changing discoveries. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is one of those diseases that teachers can often see signs of in the classroom, so it’s important to know what to look for. Take a look at some of these warning signs, and also get tips about how to accommodate a child with T1D in your classroom. 1. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. It is not related to lifestyle, nor is it the result of anything the child (or family) did or did not do. Normally, the pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that helps the body use glucose (“blood sugar”) for energy. In people who have T1D, the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells and the pancreas produces very little or no insulin, so blood sugar levels can rise if unchecked. A person with T1D needs insulin injections or infusions to live. 2. Excessive urination, thirst and hunger are all symptoms of T1D. Because teachers spend so much time with kids, they may be among the first to notice symptoms that could be linked to diabetes. A child who is asking to use the bath 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 ac.bm.csh@nosrednehg 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 >>

Teaching With Diabetes

T1D Tuesday is a blog series on TypeOneNation.org that features guest bloggers who are sharing their voices of how T1D affects their life. For the month of August we are featuring all things Back to School! Today meet Juliet, who teaches her first graders about her diabetes with Rufus the Bear with diabetes . Ive always knew that I wanted to be a teacher, and after I graduated college, I was lucky enough to secure a job teaching first grade. After going through the student teaching process, I knew that I had to find a way to make my diabetes routine part of my classroom management plan. I decided very early on that I wanted to be honest with my students about my diabetes. I was diagnosed when I was five years old, so I knew that my first graders would be able to understand the basics of diabetes care. Also, I hoped that I might be able to help any other students with diabetes or teachers with diabetic students in our school. The summer before my first year of teaching, I found the picture book Rufus Comes Home a good age-appropriate resource about diabetes education that I use with my students during the first week of school. This picture book is about a young boy who is diagnosed with T1D. To help the boy, his mom makes him a special teddy bear friend named Rufus. Rufus has diabetes just like the small boy. He has a JDRF tee shirt, and patches of clothe sewed onto the spots on his body where he takes his shots. After reading the book, I decided to make my own Rufus bear, however I added one slight change. My Rufus has a small pump that I clipped to his side because I get so many questions from my students about my pump. During the first week of school, I introduce Rufus and read the book to my class. Afterwards, we have a discussion about what diabetes is, and is not, Continue reading >>

What Your Childs Teacher Doesnt Know About Type 1

Brought to you by Lilly Diabetes | Disney What Your Childs Teacher Doesnt Know About Type 1 Hallie Addington, guest blogger, ThePrincessAndThePump.com Nothing strikes fear in a parents heart like sending a child with type 1 diabetes to school. Whether the child is returning to class for the first time after diagnosis, or its the start of a new school year, handing him or her off to school personnel can bring anxiety and uncertainty. After all, who knows better how to take care of our children than us?!? We watch our friends count down the days until school starts (or a mid-year vacation ends) with glee and anticipation. We hear them talk about their concerns that their child will have friends in a new class and that the bus will come when it is scheduled. We just smile and nod, because our concerns are different. Our concerns deal with life and death. Who will take care of our child at school? Who will help count carbohydrates or deliver insulin? Who will know how to correct a high blood sugar? Who will know what to do if blood sugar is low? Who is going to keep my child alive and safe during the day? As a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes, I know these fears all too well. As a teacher, I was shocked with how little I knew. In the years preceding my daughters diabetes diagnosis, I had a few children with type 1 in my classroom. I was given the sheet with all the faces on itthe one depicting typical low and high blood sugar symptoms. I was told to send the children to the clinic if they experienced any of these symptoms. And that was it. I clearly remember sitting in my daughters hospital room during our week-long stay after her diagnosis and thinking, Oh my goodness. I didnt know. Anything could have happened. No one ever told me that type 1 was life-threatening. Continue reading >>

Managing Type 1 Diabetes At School

Patient Guide to Managing Your Child's Type 1 Diabetes Written by Amy Hess-Fischl MS, RD, LDN, BC-ADM, CDE Type 1 diabetes requires constant attentionit doesn't go away during school hours. That's why it's essential that school staff, including teachers, bus drivers, and school health personnel, understand the needs of their students with type 1 diabetes to ensure that school is a safe and healthy environment. More than 13,000 young people are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes each year.1 Because the disease is so common in young children, it's important that schools have at least some staff members who have a basic understanding of type 1 diabetes. Having a school worker on hand who knows how to check blood glucose, inject insulin, and choose an appropriate snack when blood glucose levels are low provides an enormous amount of security to parents. Children with type 1 diabetes rely on both parents and school officials to ensure that their condition is managed at school. That's a big responsibility for parents and school workers, but fortunately, there are resources available to help make your child's school conducive to managing type 1 diabetes. For parents, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) offer sample school type 1 diabetes care forms that alert the school to your child's condition and provide instructions on how the school should respond in an emergency situation. For school staff, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Helping the Student with Type 1 Diabetes Succeed: A Guide for School Personnel provides a comprehensive overview of important considerations for schools that have students with type 1 diabetes. Laws Protecting Your Child with Type 1 Diabetes As a Continue reading >>