Hi just looking for some words of wisdom from parents of type 1 child who have started school. My son is 4 and was diagnosed in March. We are coping really well, however he is starting school in September and I am so worried about it. His pre-school were fantastic but as yet the school don't know how to monitor his diabetes until me and the nurse teach them. I am so worried that he may have a hypo at school and there will be no-one there who can deal with it. I am going in daily at lunch time to teach them how to monitor his blood sugar but it worries me that they may not realise if his blood sugar is going low until he has a hypo. Is there anyone who has been through the same thing? Maybe you could let me know how you coped with it. I even feel at the moment like staying with him for the first couple of days even though I know that this isn't practical.
Parents of type 1 child
- Thread starter gaynor
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Hi Gaynor
I'm not a parent, so I can't imagine how worried you must be. However, I do have two friends who are primary school teachers, both of whom have Type 1 children in their classes. They have both (independently) read up as much as possible and take their responsibility with checking blood glucose etc really seriously. I'm sure most teachers will do exactly the same.
I was diagnosed type 1 much later in life, but does your son himself recognise when he is having a hypo? I know he is very young, but perhaps getting him to think about how he's feeling and practice alerting you to when he feels hypo might help.
Finally, I've heard other people mention this forum: http://forums.childrenwithdiabetes.com/ which as you will see is mainly populated by parents of children with diabetes.
Good luck!
I'm not a parent, so I can't imagine how worried you must be. However, I do have two friends who are primary school teachers, both of whom have Type 1 children in their classes. They have both (independently) read up as much as possible and take their responsibility with checking blood glucose etc really seriously. I'm sure most teachers will do exactly the same.
I was diagnosed type 1 much later in life, but does your son himself recognise when he is having a hypo? I know he is very young, but perhaps getting him to think about how he's feeling and practice alerting you to when he feels hypo might help.
Finally, I've heard other people mention this forum: http://forums.childrenwithdiabetes.com/ which as you will see is mainly populated by parents of children with diabetes.
Good luck!
KimSuzanne
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It must be a worrying time but teachers and friends he makes will take the time to learn, I was diagnosed at the age of 7 and everyone was scared at first but teachers are fantastic and will do everything they can to make sure they know what to do.
Thanks both of you for your advice. The school at the moment seem to be really up for it and I don't think I will have any problems with them it is just the thought of him being onhis own with no support for hte first couple of days. I know he will be ok and I only live 100 yards away but when it's your child as any parent will know you just have an overwhelming need to protect them. I think I just need to get my head together about it all. I think as he was only diagnosed in March it is still early days and I still at times struggle to cope with the enormity of it all. Once again thanks for your reassuring words.
Gaynor
Gaynor
My daughter was diagnosed in January age 9. Because of complications with diagnosis ( epilepse 12 hours after type 1) When she went back to school I went with her for two hours a day. It wasn't ideal but I think it made every body feel happier. Mainly because they had no time to prepare. If your school knows about condition and have met with diabetic team, Im sure things will be fine. You have to also think would you still want to go in if he was't diabetic. I bet you would. Its hard when they start school. I have my baby stating reception and my eldest starting comp so belive we I know how difficult it can be to let go.
One thing I have learnt about having three children in school is at the first point when you are concerned about something go in and talk about it.
Good Luck
One thing I have learnt about having three children in school is at the first point when you are concerned about something go in and talk about it.
Good Luck
hanadr
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Certainly talk to the staff. They may have issues about blood testing. There are protocols for epipen use for allegies and so on. there are heslth and safety rules to do with blood. i taught sciences for 40 years and only in the last few were experiments on blood banned. To do with blood borne diseases. You need to check it out if you want them to test. Otherwise, you need to be there to do it yourself. the class teacher may be pleased to have anothe competent adult in the classroom. when my daughter was in reception class (25 years ago, she's a teacher and mother now) there was a boy with severe eczema. His mother often went in to school and unless her son really needed her, she worked with other children. I well remember her coming to cream him after swimming.
Hi, just wanted to say my DD is nearly 4 and has another year in the school nursery before starting reception and I already don't want her to go! My DD has no hypo awareness (or when she is high - though she tries it on eg "I was only shouting at you because my sugar was low" when it wasn't true!). I worry even when she's at nursery for 2.5 hours.
Anyway there is a little boy in reception in the same school and the school office supervise his blood sugar tests at lunchtime and are fine with it. The diabetic nurses go in and talk to all the teachers and give training. I know it should be fine and that it should be fine for you too!! Good luck. Let us know how it goes. Layla xx
Anyway there is a little boy in reception in the same school and the school office supervise his blood sugar tests at lunchtime and are fine with it. The diabetic nurses go in and talk to all the teachers and give training. I know it should be fine and that it should be fine for you too!! Good luck. Let us know how it goes. Layla xx
We survived the first two days at school. Just about. The school asked me to stay for his first two mornings which I was happy to do obviously. I just helped out around the class for a bit and then they took the class for a walk around the school. When they came back Ben wasn't quite right so I mentioned it to the teaching assistant who said he had been told off because he would stay in the line and kept walking away. I explained that it could be the first sign of a low because he gets irritable when he goes down. I think they thought I was kind of making excuses for him. So I took him to do his BS and he was 2.4. When I told them they were really shocked. It worried me though because they wouldn't have realised. Then Friday he was fine. Thankfully. They are going to do his BS before he goes out at breaktime at 10am so they know what he is before they go out play. It will put my mind at rest because I would be worried that he might drop down while out to play. I'll wait and see what the next week brings. I don't think the worry will ever go away!!!!
diabetesmum
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- Type of diabetes
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Hi Gaynor,
The worry will always be there to a lesser or greater extent but you learn to live with it!Testing before playtime and PE is a good idea. My (then) 13 yr old went on an activity week to Wales with school, I was worried and aged 10 yrs when she told me she'd hypo'd whilst caving (1.4) and while jumping down waterfalls!! The school manages it very well though,now they've got the hang of it. I'm sure your son's will too.
Sue
The worry will always be there to a lesser or greater extent but you learn to live with it!Testing before playtime and PE is a good idea. My (then) 13 yr old went on an activity week to Wales with school, I was worried and aged 10 yrs when she told me she'd hypo'd whilst caving (1.4) and while jumping down waterfalls!! The school manages it very well though,now they've got the hang of it. I'm sure your son's will too.
Sue
Hi Gaynor, I know what you're going through, my son was diagnosed 10 years ago at age 3 and it was a particularly worry time when he started school. The diabetic nurse gave us a leaflet to give to the teachers to read but it still wasn't much comfort to us in case he had a hypo and them not noticing with a class full of kids. We also kept a carton of Ribena in the classroom at all times in case but thankfully he seemed to sail through infant and primary schoolwithout having any hypos. He's now at senior school and just as worrying for us as he takes part in a lot more activities but he's very grown up about it and knows as soon as he starts to feel "shaky" so he'll have a couple of glucose tablets.
I am feely really desperate at the moment as after initially gaining good control of Bens condition it has all gone to pot. For the last three weeks his levels have been all over the place. He is experiencing some really high readings and I am struggling to get them under control. It is very rare at the moment for him to get up in the morning in single figures his average over the last week has been 12. We have upped his Levemir at night from 3.5u to 4u which coursed him to get up in the 3's. DSN thought maybe he was hypoing and on a rebound when he is high so suggested dropping it which we did which turn produced a 13.3 am so we have put it back up again go 4u. Also his daytime readings are really high most of the time. We have tried giving extra Novorapid but where he has recently started school we are worried about inducing hypos. The teaching assistant at school is doing his blood at 10am to check what he is before playtime and he has been in double figures everyday since he started. Can anyone tell why when he has his insulin at about 7.45, at 10am he is still higher than when he got up. Today they rang me and asked me to come in as his reading at 10.00 was 21.8 he got up this morning and he was 10.2 such a big jump. It almost seems like his novorapid isn't working. I know it is though because saturday he had 2 hypos. This is why I don't know if I am coming or going. He was still 14.1 at lunch time. I keep thinking I need to put up his am insulin but am so frightened of him having a major hypo at school. Do I need to increase the levemir or do I need to just increase the novorapid or both. Nurse is on holiday at the mo but I do have clinic tomorrow so can speak to them but wondered if any of the other mums could give me and insight as to what could be going on. I thought I had got this all sussed. Just goes to show how smug I was thinking I had got my head around it. Thanks in anticipation.
Hi Gaynor
Firstly I am not a parent of a type 1 (I have it) but I have a 4 year old who has just started school and has a problems (toilet type sorry if TMI) and I know what a worrying time this can be.
Re the early mornings - I was diagnosed in April and still haven't resolved this yet myself but what has been recommended is a protein snack (cheese / meat) before bed - if can help stop the dawn effect if that is what is happening - it might be worth a try.
The readings at 10am could be a number of things - is this 2 hours after breakfast if not that could be making a difference. Stress could also be having an impact, it may be worth waiting a couple for weeks more to see if it settles if this is vastly different from the reading you were getting at home. For example I did an exam in July and even though I woke up ok ish, by the time I sat the exam I had gone up to 16, 2 hrs into the exam I was 8 and when I finished I was 5.9 so emotions can have a big impact. Is he walking to school that could also be having an effect - my figures go up when I excercise - especially in the mornings for some reason?
It may also be that his honeymoon period has come to an end. Personally as far as changes go I have been told not to change my lantus (slow acting one) without checking with my nurse and if he is going low over night this would make it worse (Have you tried checking what he is at night - say at 1am ish - I know that is what some people do?). You could try giving him a little more novorapid in the morning and see what happens, certainly don't change both at once.It may well be that he may just need to settle into his new routine a bit though.
I know what you mean about feeling like it was sussed and then..... that is how i feel and I think going by what other people say on here this is just something that we have to keep reviewing.
Hopefully some of the other mums for t1's will be able to answer better than I have. :?
All the best
Louise
Firstly I am not a parent of a type 1 (I have it) but I have a 4 year old who has just started school and has a problems (toilet type sorry if TMI) and I know what a worrying time this can be.
Re the early mornings - I was diagnosed in April and still haven't resolved this yet myself but what has been recommended is a protein snack (cheese / meat) before bed - if can help stop the dawn effect if that is what is happening - it might be worth a try.
The readings at 10am could be a number of things - is this 2 hours after breakfast if not that could be making a difference. Stress could also be having an impact, it may be worth waiting a couple for weeks more to see if it settles if this is vastly different from the reading you were getting at home. For example I did an exam in July and even though I woke up ok ish, by the time I sat the exam I had gone up to 16, 2 hrs into the exam I was 8 and when I finished I was 5.9 so emotions can have a big impact. Is he walking to school that could also be having an effect - my figures go up when I excercise - especially in the mornings for some reason?
It may also be that his honeymoon period has come to an end. Personally as far as changes go I have been told not to change my lantus (slow acting one) without checking with my nurse and if he is going low over night this would make it worse (Have you tried checking what he is at night - say at 1am ish - I know that is what some people do?). You could try giving him a little more novorapid in the morning and see what happens, certainly don't change both at once.It may well be that he may just need to settle into his new routine a bit though.
I know what you mean about feeling like it was sussed and then..... that is how i feel and I think going by what other people say on here this is just something that we have to keep reviewing.
Hopefully some of the other mums for t1's will be able to answer better than I have. :?
All the best
Louise
I seem to remember having 2 ginger biscuits before any sporting activity and I also had a very fashionable bum bag which contains glucose tablets and other bits and bobs!
Im sure that if youve given them enough detail about the condition and they relay to you if anything hapens whilst at school (my middle school didnt tell my parents that every day at 11am my sugar levels dropped and I was in the nurses office for an hour) then it will be fine... communcation is a wonderful thing!
x
Im sure that if youve given them enough detail about the condition and they relay to you if anything hapens whilst at school (my middle school didnt tell my parents that every day at 11am my sugar levels dropped and I was in the nurses office for an hour) then it will be fine... communcation is a wonderful thing!
x
Thanks everyone for your replies. You have all helped in different ways. Seemed to have gained a bit more control of is sugars the last few days. Have now upped his levemir for the second time in a week and it seems to be doing the trick. Although think will need to increase his novorapid in the next week too. Been doing some carb counting also which dietician recommeded as then we can fine tune his dose depending on what he eats which will be great cus sometimes I struggle to know how much to give him especially when he has a meal with hardly any or no carbs. Been on a really useful website http://www.bdec-e-learning.com that was recommended on another thread and that has been brilliant. Once again thanks all.
Gaynor xx
Gaynor xx
