It’s testing season, and I’m curious: for anyone with a 504 plan for school testing or an approved accommodation for SAT/ACT/etc. testing, what range is your BG supposed to be in? Our 504 plan says she shouldn’t test if below 80 or over 200, and the SAT accommodation letter she just received doesn’t specify — it just says she has permission to check her BG and treat as needed, and the clock will be stopped while she’s doing that. The sample ADA 504 plan doesn’t specify what “high” or “low” means, either. What does yours say, and why? Thanks!
I don’t have a child with a 504 but when your daughter takes regular tests (similar situation - sort of) she may realize she’s starting to drop or rise when she approaches “x” or “y”. You could give those numbers to her doctor to use as a guide. Since our bodies are all different there’s no one at of numbers that strictly applies to everyone.
All the best to your daughter in her studies!
I am in college now, but my letter says under 70 and above 300. I had a similar plan in place with my school, but I think for SAT, it simply came down to the fact that I could check and administer corrections (insulin or quick carbs) if needed. I believe that if I was having trouble with blood sugar I could have extended time, or rather make up my time if I could not do it right them. (Like a stop the clock) If she is having the test at her school, be in touch with school nurses about this. Mine were extremely helpful and would write me notes. The test is 180 minutes (without an essay, which I didn’t take) and so, checking bg before, during, on breaks, and after is a great way to make sure she is on track. My school had orders from my doctor and if yours does as well, they may state what “high” and “Low” mean for her. I would be in contact with school nurses and other offices, to see how accommodations work for this. The SAT guidelines are really general and sometimes the schools have more info for you. I took it twice, once in a junior year and once in a senior year. (Not that I did bad on the first one, but always worth a second try) and the one I took it at a school other than mine, I noted accommodations on my application. Please feel free to ask me any more questions!! Always glad to talk!!
I’ve had a 504 plan and College Board testing accommodations for a few years now, and mine never specify a blood sugar range. I prefer it that way - I’ve found that people without T1D tend to interpret those things super literally; I wouldn’t want my proctor to say I have to test if I’m at 81, for example, especially if I was feeling symptoms of a low. Also, the arrows on the CGM matter just as much as the number - so if I’m 190 with a double up arrow, I’ll stop and correct even though it’s not “out of range” yet.
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Thank you, everyone! Abby, I can see your point for not specifying, and I think that goes to Dorie’s point, too — we’re all different, not just from each other, but from ourselves at different times, too. If you feel low at 81 (which maybe you don’t always, but certainly it can happen!), you don’t want to be arguing with some proctor about stopping the clock to treat because the accommodation paperwork says that’s not allowed until you hit 79.
Danielle @fieldiez, do you like having your paperwork specify? Why or why not?
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I had conversations with my doctors at the time about lows and highs. I should say that my numbers were set differently in high school. I think under 80 and above 250. Now, I almost never have sugar above 200, so I feel like my low marker is different than before, and above 300 is general practice in college. Of course, doctors can discuss this with you, as they are the ones who generally set the rules for your 504 plan. They have to be a little more strict I think because people tend to say oh I feel high or I feel low and not actually be because they want to push their exams in college. I know that is not everyone, but those few people have ruined it for many. I like having those boundaries of below 70 and above 300, although I may reconsider that 300 number when it comes to next semester. It is not exact with professors and teachers, and I often have more of a discussion with my professors before the semester starts to set other guidelines with them. The reason there are boundaries set is that teachers want advanced notice for not taking an exam or having extended time in college. (Again, a little different, but for the future, if she plans on going to college) There are those guidelines in place because per previous discussions, many people do not understand what it is like. They don’t know what it feels like to be high to low and so having those general guidelines, keeps the students a little more protected in that they can say my blood sugar falls outside of this range and so I need extra time or to take the test another day. It sets guidelines for everyone involved. I was using finger sticks though, so it may be different in terms of cgm in that you need to add in the possibility of arrow direction and “speed” (double arrow, single arrow) in one direction or the other.