Manage your child’s diabetes at school

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Manage your child’s diabetes at school

The school day is a busy time for both kids and their parents. You might be juggling your work schedule, running errands, picking up other kids from school, or trying to get dinner on the table. With diabetes, there are also a lot of things you need to keep track of and do each day.

How do you take care of a child with diabetes?

You have to figure out how much insulin (or other drugs) your child needs every day and how to give it in various settings like at school or after sport practice without missing any doses. You also have to be sure that your child eats the right amount of food at each meal and snack and gets enough physical activity.

How do students with diabetes take care of themselves at school?

Having a diabetes care plan for school can help you feel at ease when your child is gone all day. This plan can help your child’s teachers or other school staff meet your child’s daily needs and prepare for any problems ahead of time. You’ll want to include information like how and when to give insulin to your child, what food your child can eat, how much exercise your child needs each day, and when and how to test your child.

A diabetes care plan is one way for you and your child’s teachers or other school staff to make sure that everyone knows what needs to happen each day. You might also find it helpful for school staff or other parents at the same school who aren’t as familiar with diabetes.

What should a diabetes care plan include?

A diabetes care plan is a way to make sure that everyone knows what needs to happen each day for your child.

When you make a diabetes care plan, you’ll want to include:

  • A schedule for giving insulin shots and checking blood sugar levels.
  • Information on how much food your child needs at meals and snacks throughout the day.
  • What physical activities your child should do each day.

Also, you’ll want to include school – or classroom – specific information like:

  • Where your child sits in the classroom, so that you can be sure he or she is close enough to get insulin or other drugs on time.
  • The supplies your child needs to bring from home, like an extra lunch, a small snack in case your child’s blood sugar level is low, juice or a fruit cup for after a test or activity.
  • The times when your child needs to come see the school nurse or other staff members for shots, and any other activity (like gym class, recess, or P.E.) where extra food or water is needed.
  • What kinds of snacks are allowed in the classroom and how much of it your child can have at snack time.
  • Your child’s blood sugar target range.

Planning a diabetes care plan is a good way to communicate with teachers and other school staff. You might find it helpful to include your child’s doctor in the planning process as well, especially if you have concerns or questions about the way that things are being handled at school.