Hi
My son was diagnosed last week(aged 13) with type 1.We have a meeting with his school on Friday. What can I expect with him returning to school and also when is he likely to go back? He was in hospital for most of last week due to DKA and is still very tired with varying levels of BG. Nova rapide before meals and Lantus at night. Any experiences you have had would be very helpful. Thanks. Estherem
My son was diagnosed last week(aged 13) with type 1.We have a meeting with his school on Friday. What can I expect with him returning to school and also when is he likely to go back? He was in hospital for most of last week due to DKA and is still very tired with varying levels of BG. Nova rapide before meals and Lantus at night. Any experiences you have had would be very helpful. Thanks. Estherem
I would keep your son off school until he is confident about injecting and testing himself. It is also a good idea for your son to experience a hypo (low blood sugar) before he returns to school so that he knows what symptoms to look out for and how to treat the hypo. I think experiencing a hypo for the first time at school would be a frightening experience for him. I would also make sure before he returns to school that all his teaching staff and the school nurse are aware of his diagnosis and know what to do if he experiences a hypo. Your diabetes nurse should make an appointment for her, you, your son and all necessary staff to meet and discuss his treatment, diabetes in general and what needs to be done to manage it whilst at school. Particularly his PE teacher also needs to be aware of his condition and the fact that exercise will lower his blood sugars and potentially put him at risk of a hypo unless he eats a carby snack to keep his blood glucose stable. He should not miss a meal at school and ideally meal times should not be delayed too much either so concessions may need to be in place at the school canteen to guarantee there will be something he likes to eat and it can be eaten at the correct time. All teachers need to know that your son may need to eat during class to correct a hypo, or if his blood glucose is high he may need to drink and use the toilet more frequently. Things like detention needs to be correctly planned and not imposed on him without much warning over a lunchtime or snack time. There is a lot to discuss with the school and your diabetes nurse should be able to lead this discussion and make sure everything is covered. The school may also be able to put your son in touch with other diabetics at school, it may offer some moral support to your son from others with the same condition - your son may be apprehensive about injecting infront of his friends or of talking about diabetes. Some children cope well with the diagnosis and others find it more challenging, make sure support is there for him if he needs it, it may be an emotional journey for him after a few weeks as everything starts to sink in.
