Hi everyone. I’m obviously new to the community, but my daughter was diagnosed in early 2015. She’s 13 now and in her last year of middle school. We have her on an OmniPod and a G6, paired with an iPhone.
So the question is this: My wife and I are both getting notifications, and we can (and do) contact the school nurse to ask for her help when our daughter goes high or low. But we’re wondering how other parents have handled this. Our daughter should be receiving notifications through her iPhone herself. But she obviously can’t have complete access to it during school. At the same time, we want her to know her status and be able to respond quickly.
How do you handle this? Is it as straightforward as having her carry the Dexcom receive in addition to the iPhone, so she can monitor a device that clearly isn’t a phone? We were trying to reduce the amount of kit she has to carry. But is that the best approach in your view?
Hi Stuart, don’t know if this will be helpful, hope so. I started on a Dexcom G6 about 20 days ago. I bought the Apple Watch just so that I don’t have to constantly pull out my phone to see the blood sugar. I know it may be expensive so I’m not sure if that’s an issue, but it’s been very helpful to me. I’m not sure what the rule is at school, I’m actually a retired teacher myself. I saw other people on this forum writing about the 1990 Americans with disabilities act. Maybe if you bring this up with the school principal it would be helpful. Good luck! PS I think you still have to have the phone in a certain distance from the watch but if it’s in a backpack it shouldn’t disturb the teacher or other students for your daughter to look at her watch.
Hi! I’m a 15 yr old in high school using the g6 with a phone. My parents are connected with it but unless I’m out with friends or something of that sort they don’t comment on my bg or text me which lets me have freedom but with a safety feature. For a 13 yr old I don’t think you have to text the nurse unless things are really bad so maybe text your daughter instead like “hey saw you’re a bit low, have you corrected?” just because I would feel weird about that personally. I always keep my phone in my backpack and have sent out an email to my teachers letting them know why I’m checking my phone so often and to let me know when a test is in advance so I can bring the Dexcom receiver instead of using my phone which so far has worked out really well. I love not having to carry so many devices and with a phone + g6 you can be really inconspicuous about checking bg which is nice in middle/high school. I hope the g6 works out for you and maybe my advice helps you! Freda
Hi Stuart, our school nurse sent an e-mail to all of our daughter’s teachers telling them about the Dexcom and need for Eva to have her phone within reach. She keeps it in her pocket or pencil pouch with the volume on low. The teachers and staff in middle school have been great, so we haven’t had to pursue a 504 yet, but probably will before she heads to high school. @kate4728 good point about the standardized testing, I hadn’t thought of that!
I got yelled at in middle school, by a teacher who caught me eating fruit snacks. I was newly diagnosed and we didn’t have a 504 in place yet. Super traumatizing when you already feel different and then get called out in class. Got one for high school, so I could have snacks/drinks on my desk for the SATs.
You can look into getting a 504 health plan through the school. Our daughter has one and in it it says she is allowed to carry and access her phone throughout the day for medical purposes. It is a legal document and with a type 1 diabetic you qualify to get one. Contact the school and they will have a meeting with you.
Regardless of whether or not you feel the need to get a 504 in place for your child, you should move forward with it now, it’s in their best interest. Furthermore, it will provide the protection of the law (diabetes is covered by the ADA) for them to carry their medical devices with them.
It will also help educate teachers who may be naive about type 1 vs type 2, and why your child’s needs are so important.
I just read thru what has been said. Thru my working career, I had to work with the ADA in many situations. So I hope I can give sage advice. For the future.
First thing it’s great that the teachers are working with you and your daughter. Can’t tell you how important that is. I think you need to get any and all paperwork in place now that allows her to use the iPhone as a medical device. Very important! It sets precedent. Even if you don’t need it because the school staff is supportive now, she will change schools and it may not be the case in the future! It only takes one bad apple to ruin the bushel. But now you can meet with the principal and have thier help in making things easier for the future. That is a great resource to have on your side! You may even want to meet with the school superintendent to help pave the way forward… By doing so, you have the powers that be forewarned and familiar with the rules and regulations ahead of time! So if an issue comes up as soon as they check into it, they already have an answer for the curious or resentful person(s), who might create issues in the future. You may never need to use this, but if you do you end up having the principal, the superintendent, and possibly the school board on your side. That’s is if you ever need it! But if your not proactive, you and your daughters health care may suffer while you get all this in place! By you I mean having to leave work for unexpected meetings… etc.
That and protocol will be in place for any other children in the future. Good things all around to be proactive now. You might even be able to get superintendent to have a laminated card your daughter or any other student can carrythat gives them permission to carry/ use the iPhone. This will be able to stop the problem, before the issue ever comes up.
You will be protecting her( your priority), and helping future students! With the help of the school and it’s governing body behind you, no well meaning, but uniformed teacher can interrupt her daily care! The most that can happen is an hour or two of “ confiscation” of thier phone and after class, one trip to principals office and problem solved. Back in business once again and no more future interruptions. Teacher may be put out, but nothing they can do! Supervisors have spoken, before the issue ever came up. Conversely, by not getting things in place, it could take weeks and months to get this straight. Your daughter and any other student could suffer needlessly! You may also find out if a plan is already in place and all you need to do is enroll your daughter in it and waahla! Problems solved.
Worth checking into no matter what I think!
Good luck
Had to calibrate my CGM. But while I was doing so this thought came up.
By being proactive with this there are some added benefits.
First you allow your daughter to havemuch more freedom and be more able to treat herself while at school.
Secondly, the brownie points you as parents will get are huge!! They will help at a later date I’m sure. But it also will help demonstrate to your daughter how important this really is!! You will have shown her, not just tell her!! You can’t buy that anywhere!! Priceless!!
Thirdly. You will help other parents and children in the future, by helping to set procedure in place… Your daughter will love that too! It could be great if she is part of it too! Kids know the system they are in and can give great ideas that will help champion the “ program”, but she will be involved, helping her to understand how important this is.
Hello, we have a letter from our endocrinologist stating that the iPhone that our son carries to monitor the G6, is equivalent to a medical device and is a medical necessity. Have provided this letter to school nurse and informed the teachers, and have not had any pushback.
Daughter now 15. Diagnosed march 2017. 504 plan put in place a week after returning to school (after dka and initial diagnosis and week in hospital). It was before our DEXCOM G5. We had the one touch and it synced with her cell phone to let us know what her number was. We communicated with nurse at that time. Now, she has G6 and of course her cell phone is a lifeline to all of us.
Cannot stress enough: get your 504 in place immediately! As others have said, it sets precedence, and is a building block for the future. She is entitled to have her phone, snacks or juice, be able to get up and leave the room at anytime she feels necessary, if needed, she can touch a friend on the arm and that friend will take her out and walk her to the nurse. This is all done without any disruption in class which again we know it’s bad enough having this disease so the less attention the better.
Also for AP classes even in high school, she will be required to test in a separate room. So she can have the flexibility to stop if she needs. Eat. Drink. The phone will not be “available” to her — we are handing to instructor — but may send receiver we never use as well.
I hate to offend anyone by saying this, but whatever I can do for my daughter within the “system”, i take full advantage of. Most she never uses, but if she had to, it is a non-issue and in place.
My best to all
we all have our strengths and weaknesses. My daughter is mine.
Hi Stuart, our daughter is 13 as well. She uses her iphone at middle school as it’s part of her 504 plan and she’s not had any problems. She was diagnosed at 5 yrs old and in current stage doesn’t want attention drawn to the Diabetes so she wouldn’t want me calling the school unless there was an emergency. Of course all her teachers know she has T1D. Both my husband and I share/follow her dexcom and sometimes we do text her at school if we notice blood sugar is hi/low and just about every time she’s already treating it so we work on not texting her. We do text her about blood sugar stuff when needed when she’s out w/friends doing activities not at school.
Freda