Sending any child off to school can be tough for a parent. You want to know that they’ll be safe even when you’re not around. If you’re the parent of a diabetic child, sending them to school can be an even more difficult feat. Here are the steps you need to take to ensure your diabetic child stays safe and healthy while at school.
- Before the school year starts, arrange a meeting with the school’s principle, nurse, and your child’s teacher(s) to develop a plan. This will not only make them aware of the situation, it will also allow you to develop a plan and determine who is responsible for doing certain things for your child. You should also be sure to cover how your child’s situation will be handled when their teacher is sick or away.
- Educate everyone involved about what diabetes is and how to handle it. Everyone responsible for caring for your child should know several things.
- Your contact information. Everyone should be able to reach you in case of an emergency or if they just have a question or concern about your child’s health.
- Information on what diabetes is and how you are specifically treating your child’s diabetes (extra meals, insulin shots, etc).
- Information on how to recognize a blood sugar crisis and what to do to treat it.
- If your child needs extra meals or snacks during the day, it’s your responsibility to provide them. Set up and area with your child’s teacher where you can leave snacks and other food. Be sure to check the stockpile regularly and refill supplies as needed. Don’t count on the teacher to inform you if you’re running low.
- Talk to your child. If your child has had diabetes for a while, they’re probably already aware of what that means. Whether they’ve been dealing with it for a while, or a newly diagnosed, you should make sure they understand that even at school, they’re not allowed to eat certain things. Teach them to recognize the warning signs of a problem and tell their teacher right away.
- Ask that the teacher inform the other students that your child has diabetes and what that means, in a respectful way. While you may not feel it is a good idea to point out your child’s differences, your child will be getting special treatment (frequently leaving class, extra meals) and the students may resent your child if they don’t know why. If the teacher doesn’t feel they can properly teach the subject, offer to prepare a lesson for them to present.
Dealing with a diabetic child’s needs is not easy. While the school is responsible for making special provisions for your child, you should not count on them to do everything. They have other children they are responsible and can only do so much. It is up to you to go the extra mile to make sure your child is properly cared for.
What should I do before the school year starts if my child has diabetes?
Arrange a meeting with the school principal, nurse, and your child’s teacher before the year begins. Use that meeting to make everyone aware of your child’s condition, assign clear responsibilities for daily care, and plan for how things will be handled when the regular teacher is absent. Making sure the right people know what to do — and who to call — before a problem happens is the most important thing you can do.
What information does the school need about my diabetic child?
Everyone responsible for your child’s care should have your contact information so they can reach you quickly in an emergency. They should also understand how you are specifically treating your child’s diabetes, including whether that involves extra meals, insulin shots, or other needs. And they need to know how to recognize the signs of a blood sugar crisis and what steps to take if one happens during the school day.
Who is responsible for my child’s diabetes management at school?
The school is responsible for making special provisions for your child, but you cannot count on them to handle everything. If your child needs extra snacks or meals during the day, it is your responsibility to supply them and keep that supply stocked — do not wait for the teacher to tell you when you are running low. Your child also needs to understand the rules about food and know to alert their teacher the moment they feel something is wrong.
Should I tell other students that my child has diabetes?
It is worth asking the teacher to explain your child’s diabetes to classmates in a respectful, age-appropriate way. Your child will be getting special treatment — leaving class for snacks, checking blood sugar — and classmates who do not understand why can sometimes become resentful. A simple, calm explanation helps the other kids be supportive instead. If the teacher is not sure how to approach it, offer to prepare materials or a simple lesson plan they can use.
