Challenges of Diabetes in School
Going to school these days is tough enough, but for children living with diabetes it’s even more complex.
Diabetes in children can occur at any age, even in children less than a year old.
In fact, “approximately 210,000 children and teenagers under the age of 20 in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes”1 and that number is expected to rise.
As we continue to enjoy the long, lazy days of summer, it’s important to prepare for the school year ahead, especially for our kids with diabetes.
Here are some tips and strategies for families, teachers, administrators and school districts learning to deal with diabetes.
What is Juvenile Diabetes?
First, let’s start with a quick definition of juvenile diabetes and understand its impact on children.
Type 1 diabetes in children “is an autoimmune disease in which insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas are mistakenly destroyed by the body’s immune system, and a child can no longer produce insulin.”2 Insulin is needed to move blood glucose into the cells which is then stored and used for energy later. Fluctuations in blood sugar can cause life threatening complications if left untreated. There is no cure for Type 1 diabetes, but the good news is that it can be managed and controlled, even during school hours.
Diabetes Education
Diabetes is hard and requires a team effort. It takes an investment in time from all parties involved, but most importantly it takes education.
Preparing for diabetes requires communication with parents, the school nurse, teachers, administrators, office personnel, district employees, substitute teachers and even visitors to make sure that plans and safeguards are in place and that all student needs are met. Being prepared at all times is extremely important to stay ahead of complications and avoid any potential issues.
It’s also important for fellow classmates to understand what’s going on. It may require a lesson on why extra visitors may show up in the classroom or why a particular student may need an additional snack or extra attention and why they may hear certain alarms going off throughout the day. Children with diabetes can be great teachers themselves and educate not only other students, but teachers and staff as well. Students with diabetes create a valuable teaching moment and an opportunity to spread diabetes education even further.
Diabetes Impact
The age of the child can greatly impact the amount of extra help needed from the school or the amount of self-care that may be required.
It is a great deal of added responsibility, but many children with diabetes are forced to handle much more than the average student and can take on a great deal. They have to be more aware and pay attention to the foods they eat and how their bodies are feeling each and every day. They also have to understand and learn complicated medical terms and how to operate medical equipment like Continuous Glucose Monitors and Blood Glucose Monitors.
Yet, children with diabetes are just like any other students, and they want to enjoy every moment of their school day. It’s important to remember that extra steps must be taken in order to do just that.
Diabetes affects day to day activities from eating snacks to playing at recess to taking a test. Normal activities and tasks that we often take for granted.
But an extra celebration in class, could cause extreme fluctuations in blood glucose levels or wreak havoc on the amount of insulin needed for the day. Everything needs to be factored into the day of a student living with diabetes and everyone needs to be aware. Lunch, extra snacks, celebrations, recess, physical education, and the stress of a test can all affect blood glucose levels and children living with diabetes. Activities outside of the norm like field trips, recitals, and events can cause fluctuations and must always be factored into the mix.
That’s why it’s important to prepare for everything, especially emergencies. Any diabetes student should have a kit at the ready packed with extra snacks, test strips, ketone strips, glucose packets and anything else that can help with staying prepared at all times.
Continuous Glucose Monitors Can Help
Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) can help ease some of the stress of dealing with juvenile diabetes. CGMs, like the FreeStyle Libre, take glucose readings continuously with a small electrode placed under the skin. The electrode is held in place by an adhesive and sends data to a separate unit or smart device. It allows patients, parents, healthcare providers, teachers, school nurses and personnel, the ability to access valuable information and report real time glucose readings along with a trend arrow. The trend arrow tells what direction glucose is heading and the speed in which it is moving so patients, parents and teachers know what to do next and provides peace of mind to everyone. Alarms can be set to alert parents, teachers and classmates when glucose is too high or too low with a preset tone, adjustable volume and vibration option. When in danger, this alarm will let everyone know something is wrong.
Adjusting to School Life with Juvenile Diabetes
There is no doubt, living with juvenile diabetes takes a huge adjustment for children, parents, and the school, but it can be done. At Quest Health Solutions, our mission is to provide support, educational resources and the tools you need to take control of juvenile diabetes. Our number one priority is the best interests of our patients, and we strive to be a one-stop shop for all CGM needs. We take great pride in providing the tools, supplies, services and knowledge to educate patients, parents, educators and healthcare professionals. To learn more or to find out how a Continuous Glucose Monitor can be part of the solution, contact us 1-800-993-9996, email ben@questhealthsolutions.com or schedule an appointment today.
1. (2020) Medical News Today. How Does Diabetes Affect Children and Teenagers? Available at Click Here accessed on 19 June 2022.
2. (2020). The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Diabetes Basics. Available at Click Here accessed on 19 June 2022.