Diabetes Association (ADA) to produce. this valuable diabetes guide. The ADA is the nation’s leading nonprofit health organization providing diabetes …
Kids With Diabetes
in Your Care
Helping you help kids deal with their diabetes
This resource kit will provide basic information to people who have children with diabetes in their care Its purpose is to help ensure the safety and success of kids with diabetesThe content of the Kids with Diabetes inYour Care resource kit has been developed with schools in mind, and is a valuable resource for: teachers school personnel parents and families of kids with diabetes childcare workers coaches, youth leaders other people who might care for kids with diabetes
CONTENTS
How to Use this Resource Kit About Diabetes Frequently Asked Questions T Your Diabetes est Knowledge Signs, Symptoms and Treatment of Hypoglycemia Kid with Diabetes Information Card Standards of Care Duty of Care Checklists for Parents, Teachers and Administrators Letter of Agreement
How to Use This Resource Kit
Managing diabetes is a full-time job for the family and youth with diabetes People who have kids in their care with diabetes are in a very special positionTheir understanding of the unique needs of the youth with diabetes is importantThe information in this resource kit supports ongoing communication between the
youth, parents and the school Our courts have held that a school has a special responsibility towards its students which, we believe, imparts an additional obligation to engage in a positive conduct for students benefit in an emergency situation
Diabetes and the Duty of Care of School Employees, Borden Elliot, Barristers and Solicitors
More information In the About Diabetes section of the resource kit you will find important information about diabetes There are many diabetes resources available to help you understand in more detail the management of diabetesYou are also encouraged to visit your local Canadian Diabetes Association office, call 1-800-BANTING 226-8464 or visit the Canadian Diabetes Association website, wwwdiabetesca We value your feedback Your experience using the Kids with Diabetes inYour Care resource kit is very important to usWe encourage you to let us know how you use the kit and how we could improve it Please send your comments to info@diabetesca or call 1-800-BANTING 226-8464 What is diabetes? Type 1 diabetes, usually diagnosed in children, occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin Insulin is an essential body requirement that ensures body energy
needs are met Does diabetes affect a youths performance? Academic performance and physical activity at school should be the same as if he or she did not have diabetes Kids with diabetes are no more susceptible to infection or illness than their classmatesTherefore, attendance should not be affected
The pages in this booklet are perforatedYou are encouraged to tear-out the ones that are appropriate to you, ie if you are a teacher you will want to keep the Kid with Diabetes Information Card with you in the classroom It is also recommended that you keep
the Signs, Symptoms and Treatment of Hypoglycemia pages nearby
The Letter of Agreement is the responsibility of the parentThe Letter of Agreement and the Kid with Diabetes Information card should be completed and reviewed by the parent annually It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure that the materials are up to date
About Diabetes
The Balancing Act The treatment of diabetes can be viewed as a balancing act On the one side, food increases the amount of glucose in the blood On the other side of the balance, exercise and insulin lower the blood glucose level by allowing glucose to be used for energy Blood glucose testing done
by kids with diabetes or their parents is a means of monitoring the blood glucose balanceWhen the blood glucose is in proper balance, the youth will feel well
1-800-BANTING 226-8464 wwwdiabetesca
2004, Canadian Diabetes Association
Insulin Great strides have been made in the treatment and management of diabetes Kids with diabetes use insulin syringes, insulin pens, or insu 
lin pumps to give insulin Pump management Many kids with type 1 diabetes have chosen to use a pump to manage their blood glucose because it allows for more flexibility and eliminates the need for multiple daily insulin injections by delivering a continuous infusion of insulin For pump therapy to be safe, the blood glucose has to be checked a minimum of four to six times per dayThe pump looks very similar to a pager, and should not be confiscated Food Maintaining the proper balance of food and insulin is essential to achieving good blood glucose control When the doctor and parents decide on an insulin dose for the youth they are assuming that the food intake will be kept relatively constant You do not need to know the details of the meal plans of kids with diabetes, but you must help to ensure that the
principles listed below are followed if the youth is on insulin by syringe or pen: eating the same amount of food carbohydrate content each day eating meals and snacks at the same time each day no trading or disposing of food It is usually possible to coordinate meal and snack times with typical daily schedules A snack can often be eaten at recess or class snack time, but occasionally it will be necessary to eat during class; the student should not be singled out for doing so Young children with diabetes may require extra supervision in the lunchroom to ensure that they eat most of what has been provided for them Missing a meal or snack, or eating less than planned, is a serious problem and can easily result in very low blood glucose or hypoglycemia and requires immediate emergency treatment Refer to the Signs and Symptoms of Hypoglycemia and Emergency Treatment of Hypoglycemia cards found in this booklet for more information Parents should be advised, also, of overeating and eating sweets as it can be a cause for concern
With planning, kids with diabetes can eat many of the foods they love If parents are notified prior to events involving food, kids with diabetes should be
able to enjoy them as much as everybody else The sick child When kids with diabetes become ill with the usual childhood sicknesses, their blood glucose balance is likely to change Careful monitoring with blood glucose and urine testing, a fluid diet and extra insulin may be required Such illness management is the responsibility of the parents, not you
When kids with diabetes become ill at school the parents should be notified immediately so that they can take appropriate action Vomiting and inability to retain food and fluids are serious situations, since food is required to balance insulin If the child vomits, contact the parents
immediately If unable to reach the parents, take the child directly to the nearest hospital
Sports and extracurricular activities It is critical that teachers, especially gym teachers and coaches, are familiar with the symptoms, treatment and prevention of hypoglycemia Refer to the Signs and Symptoms of Hypoglycemia and Emergency Treatment of Hypoglycemia cards found in this booklet for more information Kids with diabetes should be encouraged to participate in as many activities as they chooseTrips, sports and extracurricular activities can promote
self-esteem and a sense of well-being For those kids with diabetes wishing to participate in vigorous physical activity, good planning is essential so that the blood glucose balance is maintained The major risk of unplanned vigorous activity is hypoglycemia eating extra food can prevent hypoglycemia Notify parents of special days that involve extra activity so that they can ensure that the child has extra food to compensate Sports or other activities that take place during meal-time require extra planning Timing of meals and snacks may be varied and the insulin dose adjusted so that kids with diabetes can safely participate
1-800-BANTING 226-8464 wwwdiabetesca
2004, Canadian Diabetes Association
Source:unc.edu
