Hello All.
How has your experience been in dealing with the teachers, school, board, etc with your Type 1 child?
Was your experience positive, negative, challenging, or just plain uneventful?
I just posted School for Type 1 Kids What’s Your Take? Check it out and share your experiences.
Cheers.
Our experience in Texas has been good but my son is older and in a large high school. The school required a Glucagon Kit before he could return to school which the nurse keeps in an emergency kit by the door in case she gets a call from his teacher. The teachers were notified that he has Type 1, about lows and the procedure by the nurse.
When on MDI, he went to the nurses office for testing and shots at lunch but now that he is on the pump, he can test and bolus at lunch or his classroom after lunch. He has an area in a locker in the nurses office for pump supplies and a box in the refrigerator for extra insulin. He has only had one “pod” change at school this year due to an occlusion.
We do not have a formal 504 plan for tests or assignments to be redone if his blood sugar is out of range but his teachers have been understanding of his situation which is normally good. We have recently filed paperwork with the College Board to be able to bring medical supplies into the SAT testing area and to take extra breaks with the clock stopped if he has a medical emergency during the SAT test.
He missed 22 days of school last year in diagnosis, other illnesses and a clinical trial. He did have to make-up some hours to receive credit for his classes even though his grades were acceptable. He also lost his exemption to skip Finals due to his attendance record. But, all in all we felt lucky to survive the year.
My name is Kimberly and I am Chloe’s mom. I must admit that our experience with the school system when Chloe was diagnosed back in 2006 was dreadful. She was treated like an alien in class by her teacher and students.Her particular school did not even have a nurse. My instinct told me and my husband to explore other options.
We began homeschooling in August of 2006 and it has been the best choice for our family.
We live in an area where there are full time nurses in all the schools. D care, and quality thereof, depends entirely on the school nurse taking care of your child. You get doctor’s orders, set up a 504 Plan, notes and instructions for the nurse… it all depends on if the nurse follows the plan. We had a great nurse first year after dx, very experienced, had worked in Pediatric unit of major teaching hospital. Very familiar with Type 1. She left, then we had no nurse for two weeks then different substitutes from agencies (completely incapable and untrained) until they hired a new nurse. First new nurse completely questioned everything we were doing and did not agree with anyone other than an endo adjusting insulin, wanted a fixed dose through doctor’s orders. She left after a month. Next nurse fantastic, couldn’t ask for better. But we feel safest managing her diabetes over the phone with the nurse present but her following our direction. Now she self manages and only calls on Gym days. I would say it is always safest to keep matters in your own hands as much as possible. Fewer mistakes will be made.
Our experience has been pretty uneventful. Diagnosed in the first week of grade 2, our daughter did not miss any school because I stayed in the school for 2 weeks until I was confident enough to let her be there on her own and have her or a teacher/principal call me if she was low or high. I visited every day at lunch when she was on shots - my work was very understanding and we live in a small town.
I have made it easy for the teachers - there are no nurses in public schools in this province as far as I know - I am the go to person for all questions that teachers have. I go on all field trips out of town and I come in to count carbs on hot lunch day or pizza party day. I haven’t been challenged on anything, have been welcomed into all her classrooms over the past 3.5 years whenever a need arises and am generally pleased with the way it has gone. I will give a talk to the class/teachers at the beginning of the year if there are a bunch of new kids/teachers and that always is well received. I provide a ‘how to’ sheet for the school/teachers on how to manage lows, explains highs, etc, which is posted in the health room, classroom and in the gym - helps substitute teachers out mostly. My daughter can call us anytime. I keep an insulin pen in the staff room fridge in case she has to bolus in the event of a pump/infusion set problem and I’m not nearby. She can do this on her own with me on the phone - she’s now age 11.
The teachers will not administer Glucagon so this is the only sticking point but so far we haven’t had to use it in any circumstance. The hospital is a block and a half away which makes me feel better.
We’ve had an ok time of school. My son was diagnosed at 4, so he’s always had D at school. We did a 504 plan. I’d read other parents post about school drama and decided we’d just have one in place to head that off at the pass. Will is in 1st grade this year, and we’ve had two really good teachers. We requested both of them. His teacher this year has a hubby and daughter with Type 1, so I feel very comfortable with her. She does his bg checks at lunch and she’ll text me if he’s low. We keep an emergency box with glucose tabs, snacks, juice etc. in the class room. Will has a pump now. I do go to the school everyday to bolus him and make sure he eats his lunch. There’s a lot of stimulus at lunch and very easy for a 6 year old little boy to become distracted and not eat. Last year his class went to lunch early one day and when I got there none of the lunch room aids could tell me what or howmuch he’d eaten. Even though they all knew I came every day and why. He was already high and I didn’t know if his " a lot of bites" meant everything or two. So I just go myself so that I know. We got the 504 more for dealings with administration than the teachers. Will’s Vice Principal works very well with us, but the principal and upper admin. leave something to be desired. Will’s had some tardies this year, mostly due to low bg before school, or pod malfunction. I want to make sure his breakfast is eaten or bg is up before leaving him at school. Admin sent us a tacky letter saying anymore tardies and we’d be sent to court for truancy and fined $500. ( Which our school turns tons of people in every year) My husband called and asked if they’d like to work it our with him or our lawyer’s for violating the 504. They did some quick backpedaling and it hasn’t been a problem since for my son or daughter. We have 2 nurses who are great and communicate very well with us. We are thinking of homeschooling in the next year or two, but haven’t made that decision yet.
I always feel so guilty when I hear families share their stories of negative school experiences. My son was diagnosed when he was two and from preschool (at our church) to fifth grade we have never had a serious problem. Sure we have had some bumps… in the first grade we had a teacher who was big on food activities- gingerbread houses- etc, but we just worked with her and compromised- on both sides… school parties that feature pizza, donuts, and cupcakes.- i just make the party planner feel guilty that no one should be eating ALL of those things in one sitting,
Prior to entering Kindergarten, I scheduled a conference with his teacher, school nurse, and principal a week before school and was clear in my expectations. He would test in the classroom with the nurse, she would come to him, etc… At that point, he was the only student in the school living with diabetes. Now every year, we have the same conference with a new grade level teacher. Do I think our principal choses a teacher who is best equipped and flexible- sure- but everyone has been really wonderful. We really set our own rules. Field trips I can’t attend, the nurse does. She is really a member of our family and the school staff - teachers and principal have been amazing.
We are working on a 504 plan to transition him to middle school, but our facility houses 6-8th grade and our nurse will be the same. So we have really been blessed in our experience.