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TEACHERS

To all the teachers that visit this site, I hope you find this information helpful.  If you still have questions after looking around on my site, please contact me.  I can add more information, answer your question directly, and even steer you in a direction for more information.

 

First and foremost, keep in mind that parents are turning their children over to your care for 6 or more hours a day, five days a week.  I know that this is the case for all students; however, for children and parents who have to deal with Type I diabetes, this is a VERY scary thing!  Parents are used to watching every move their children with Type I diabetes make: what they eat, when and how much activity they have, and any other everyday thing that children do, or that may happen to children.

 

Just like you teach your regular students to be independent in thinking and in doing their daily tasks, students who have Type I diabetes also need to learn this independence.  Some children with Type I diabetes may demonstrate feelings of fear, inadequacy, inferiority, and a need for dependance and constant reassurance.  Depending on where your student is developmentally and socially, there are actions you can take to help this specific student clientel. 

Treat them like everone else.

Allow for self-management of their Type I diabetes, as able.

Allow for water bottles to be used in your classroom by all.  This does not make the child with Type I diabetes stand out if the are in need of water.

Don't restrict bathroom privelages for these children.

Let them teach their classmates about Type I diabetes.

Follow the law: allow for testing and treating in the classroom.

Expect low and high blood glucose levels.

Communicate regularly with the child, their guardians, the school nurse, and any other school personnel who are involved with the child.

Be flexible and prepared.

Let the child call down to the nurse to check in to avoid missing classtime.

Create a "buddy system" so that when the child with Type I diabetes is not feeling "right," their buddy can go for help, or if that child needs to go to the nurse, they can be accompanied in case of a problem along the way.

Take time, yourself, to learn about Type I diabetes.

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