Managing Diabetes at School
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Diabetes must be managed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For students with
type 1 diabetes, and for some with type 2 diabetes, that means careful
monitoring of their blood glucose (sugar) levels throughout the school day and
administering multiple doses of insulin therapy - now prescribed for most young
people with diabetes. |
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Effective diabetes management is crucial:
- For the immediate safety of students with diabetes
- For the long-term health of students with diabetes
- To ensure that students with diabetes are ready to learn and to participate fully in school activities
- To minimize the possibility that diabetes-related emergencies will disrupt classroom activities.
The purpose of this information is to educate school personnel, parents and children about diabetes and to share a set of practices that enable schools to ensure a safe learning environment for students with diabetes, particularly the student who uses insulin to control the disease (all students with type 1 and some with type 2 diabetes). The team approach to school-based diabetes management presented here builds on what schools already are doing for children with other chronic diseases. Current practices and use of existing resources have been adapted for the student with diabetes.
The practices shared here are not necessarily required by the federal laws enforced by the U.S. Department of Education for each student with diabetes. This information can be used, however, in determining how to address the needs of students with diabetes. The individual situation of any particular student with diabetes will affect what is legally required for that particular student. Additionally, we do not address state and local laws, as the requirements of these laws may vary from state to state and school district to school district. This information should be used in conjunction with federal as well as state and local laws.
At its core, effective school-based diabetes management requires two things:
- All school staff members who have responsibility for a student with diabetes should receive training that provides a basic understanding of the disease and the student’s needs, how to identify medical emergencies, and which school staff members to contact with questions in case of an emergency.
- A small group of school staff members should receive training from a qualified health care professional such as a physician or a nurse in student-specific routine and emergency care so that a staff member is always available for younger or less-experienced students who require assistance with their diabetes management (e.g., administering insulin, checking their blood glucose, or choosing an appropriate snack) and for all students with diabetes in case of an emergency. This group may be comprised of the school nurse and other school staff who are not health care professionals. The non-medical personnel are called “trained diabetes personnel” in this section. Other terminology may be used in your school.
Produced by the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP), a federally sponsored partnership of the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than 200 public and private organizations.
To obtain copies of the complete publication titled, Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed: A Guide for School Personnel (NDEP-61), please call the National Diabetes Education Program at 1-800-438-5383 or visit the program's website at www.ndep.nih.gov to download copies.
This reprint is compliments of Abbott Diabetes Care, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
Important Notice: Information provided is for general background purposes and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by a trained professional. You should always consult your physician about any health care questions you may have, especially before trying a new medication, diet, fitness program, or approach to health care issues.
DOC11759-Rev-A 04/08
