DAUGHTER TYPE 1 DIABETES

[lynneder1]

my daughter aged 13 has just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes we have been dealing with ok at home but she is due to go back to school on Monday and I feel very nervous about it hoping the school will be ok with her care etc

 

[Pigeon]

Hi Lynneder1, hope everything goes ok on Monday. Have you spoken to the school much since diagnosis, and got a care plan in place? I got diagnosed at 26 so no experience of diabetes in school, but I believe this forum and the Diabetes UK and JDRF websites have some resources. Have you read Ragnar Hanas' book? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Diabetes-Children-Adolescents-Adults-Health/dp/1859591531 I'd recommend getting a copy, I learnt loads from it. Come back and post if you have any questions, what a stressful time the last few weeks must have been for you -and Christmas as well! Rotten timing.

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

Hello and welcome 🙂
Sorry to hear about your daughters diagnosis, but good to know she is doing well at home. I'm tagging @Bronco Billy in to your post, as he has two children with T1 and is very knowledgeable on how the school should help your daughter.

 

[Bronco Billy]

Hi Lynneder. Welcome to the club Well done for how you have handled it at home, it isn’t easy. There are so many changes to get used to, not just for your daughter, but for you as well.

Have you seen this thread, https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/useful-information.75117/ In it, I give some basic information about what you can expect from the school. Probably the two most important points are staff training and the care plan. Has anyone from your hospital team been to the school to train staff yet? They may not have had the opportunity yet as the diagnosis has just happened. If not, don’t be afraid to nag them to arrange training. If staff haven’t been trained yet, it is important that you communicate with the school so they know what your daughter requires of them. The importance of communication can’t be over-stated. There might be a lot of it to begin with as the school learns what their role is (and while you are learning to trust them – that’s not easy ) but it is worth it.

The care plan can be a daunting document to write, but, again, it’s worth it. Think of it as a reference book for the school staff. It will help them give your daughter the care she needs and guide them in the right direction. The right direction is the one you and your daughter want to go, it’s what works for her that counts more than anything, so her input is valuable.

There is a section on the Diabetes UK website dedicated to schools, you will find it at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Your-child-and-diabetes/Schools There is a lot of helpful information there. Under the ‘school resources’ heading, there is a link to free resources, including a sample care plan. You’ll notice that you can order a ‘parent pack’ from the same page. It contains useful information about what you can expect from the school. There is also a pack for the school to help them give your daughter the care she needs. Secondary schools often give children a lot of independence in certain aspects of school life. If your daughter is happy with this approach, then fine. If not, neither she nor you should be backwards in coming forward to ask for more help from staff.

I hope this information is helpful to you. No question is too silly, so if there is anything else you want to know, feel free to ask. If there is something you want to know that you don’t want to ask on the forum, you can PM me.

I wish you and your daughter well for the future. It gets easier, I promise 🙂

 

[HOBIE]

my daughter aged 13 has just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes we have been dealing with ok at home but she is due to go back to school on Monday and I feel very nervous about it hoping the school will be ok with her care etc

Hi lynneder1. You are bond to be worried. Good luck for Monday 😉

 

[Bronco Billy]

@lynneder1 How has it been this week?

 

[SB2015]

Hi @lynneder1
I hope that your daughter’s return to school has gone smoothly.
I am an ex teacher from a secondary school and found that the students I came across generally managed their own condition.

The key things for me were

- It was essential that they were allowed to treat a hypo wherever they were, rather than wondering off to a medical room which may be at the other end of the school. Her teachers need to be aware that this is an emergency but that most of the time your daughter will simply manage it herself. In visiting other schools I came across a student who had cards in her test kit and just put it on the table without a fuss
Amber one
I am having a hypo and managing it myself. Please let me get on with this.
Red one
I am having a bad hypo. Please stay with me whilst I manage this.

- Between us we had hypo stuff stashed away in various places around the school in case We got caught out in the wrong place.

Let us know how she is getting on

 

[HOBIE]

Hi @lynneder1
I hope that your daughter’s return to school has gone smoothly.
I am an ex teacher from a secondary school and found that the students I came across generally managed their own condition.

The key things for me were

- It was essential that they were allowed to treat a hypo wherever they were, rather than wondering off to a medical room which may be at the other end of the school. Her teachers need to be aware that this is an emergency but that most of the time your daughter will simply manage it herself. In visiting other schools I came across a student who had cards in her test kit and just put it on the table without a fuss
Amber one
I am having a hypo and managing it myself. Please let me get on with this.
Red one
I am having a bad hypo. Please stay with me whilst I manage this.

- Between us we had hypo stuff stashed away in various places around the school in case We got caught out in the wrong place.

Let us know how she is getting on

I think all T1s have low-sugar stashes put in safe places. All our !

 

[Nomad722]

Hope all goes well for your daughter. Hopefully the school can educate the other children about diabetes. You may already know girls relate to each other far more than boys so the other girls may become rather protective. I am sorry to hear somebody so young has diabetes.

 

[Lizzzie]

Hello! 13 sounds awfully young but just wanted to put my twopennorth in and say it sounds as though she has a really supportive Mum (? Guessing from name); it is a bit of a roller-coaster at first But we all got through.

I think they forget to talk to us about how to explain it to people; confidently and upfront spring to mind. I would have wanted a little script prepared in advance at that age. Something like; just to let you know, I'm type one diabetic now so I've got some sweets just in case I hypo; if I do have one Im just going to get on and eat them it if that's ok and I'll try and let you know when I can. Do you want me to.do anything else?'

Head of year beforehand so that if anyone's awkward she knows where to refer them and they're briefed.

 

[Stell]

my daughter aged 13 has just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes we have been dealing with ok at home but she is due to go back to school on Monday and I feel very nervous about it hoping the school will be ok with her care etc

Good luck Lynneder1. The individual care plan and the school's being aware of the provisions they need to make for your daughter are the things to sort out as early as possible. I really hope it all goes well and the school gives you all the support you need.

 

[Kym17]

my daughter aged 13 has just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes we have been dealing with ok at home but she is due to go back to school on Monday and I feel very nervous about it hoping the school will be ok with her care etc

Have you spoken to the school? When my son was diagnosed he was 11 and in year 6. When he transitioned to secondary school I spoke to the head of house and the school nurse. They spoke to me and my son and explained where he could go if he needed to during the day for injections and blood tests. You can also ask if the teachers at the school have experience and knowledge around diabetes And make sure all your daughters teachers are aware of her diagnosis. Hope this helps.

 

[silentsquirrel]

Have you spoken to the school? When my son was diagnosed he was 11 and in year 6. When he transitioned to secondary school I spoke to the head of house and the school nurse. They spoke to me and my son and explained where he could go if he needed to during the day for injections and blood tests. You can also ask if the teachers at the school have experience and knowledge around diabetes And make sure all your daughters teachers are aware of her diagnosis. Hope this helps.

Welcome to the forum!
The original poster hasn't been back on the forum since she made that post 10 months ago! The date of each post is at the start, on the left.