Published On: 13 Jun, 2024 1:20 PM | Updated On: 13 Jun, 2024 1:53 PM

Type 1 Diabetes Management and Self-Care Activities in the Classroom

Children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) must administer bolus insulin before meals, requiring self-care tasks such as blood glucose monitoring to determine insulin dosage or check for hypoglycemia, and insulin injections during school hours. These activities are crucial for maintaining optimal glycemic control but are often met with reluctance from parents, children, school authorities, and sometimes peers. This necessitates ongoing education and support from the diabetes care team for the child, school staff, and other students.

Performing these self-care activities within the classroom can significantly alleviate many issues, providing several logistical, safety, psychological, and social benefits. By keeping the glucometer, test strips, continuous glucose monitoring device, insulin in a cool case, and hypoglycemia kit under the teacher’s supervision, the child can use them as needed. This approach normalizes diabetes management, eliminates the need to conceal the condition, boosts the confidence of both the child and teacher, ensures timely and consistent insulin administration, promotes hypoglycemia prevention and management, and reduces bullying risks. It also fosters peer acceptance of diabetes and raises community awareness.

Alternative locations for self-care, such as the medical room or toilet, have their disadvantages. Potential limitations of in-classroom self-care might include – occasional objections from school staff, lack of privacy for adolescents, or bullying by classmates. These issues require proactive management. The diabetes care team should advocate for classroom self-care activities, collaborating with school staff and parents to implement this strategy effectively.

Moreover, the diabetes care team should encourage parents to inform school authorities about their child’s diabetes from the start and ensure that the child receives support for T1D management at school. Emphasizing the importance of performing self-care activities in the classroom can significantly improve the overall diabetes management experience for children and adolescents.

Source: Virmani A. Indian Pediatrics. 2024 May;61(5):486-8.

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