Back to School with Diabetes

When fall arrives, it’s back-to-school time—and for some kids, it’s back to dealing with diabetes in the classroom. These tips can help your student stay safe and healthy at school:

• Make a diabetes medical management plan. This is a written document prepared by you and your child’s health care team that spells out his or her treatment plan. It should include emergency contacts and instructions for monitoring blood glucose, measuring insulin doses, taking pills, eating meals, participating in exercise, and checking for ketones. It should also explain exactly what to do in case of low or high blood glucose. Make sure the school has a copy of this plan and a glucagon emergency kit. The school may also need to develop their own internal plan that is based on your health care team's recommendations. 

• Meet with school personnel. Review your child’s individual needs and make sure that he or she is able to follow the medical management plan at school. Request that the school nurse attend the meeting. If school personnel are not familiar with diabetes, request that the nurse do an inservice for all employees, i.e., administrators, teachers, and support staff. 

• Have your child wear a medical alert ID at all times. Also make sure your child always carries a fast-acting source of glucose and knows how to use it.