What is everyone’s experience with blood glucose tests in a classroom? Do your kiddos check at their desk or elsewhere in the classroom? Do they wipe their finger with gauze or tissues after? And if so does your school require that you dispose of it in a certain way? I am working on a 504 plan thank you so much for your input ahead of time. My son is in 4th grade btw.
Hi,
my son went to a small school with no nurse. My husband or I had to get to the school each lunch hour (sometimes more often if BG was crazy). We tested him right in the classroom where they had lunch – in junior high, we tested in the office (still no nurse). It started early; he was only 4 so it was pre-K and forward and no one hardly paid any attention. I wiped his finger with an alcohol wipe before and after. That was it. If there was any resid blood on his finger, I wiped it with a kleenex. Cotton balls are considered more acceptable but they are too bulky for the avg portable (parent) BG kit. ALL the stuff went into my Parent kit and was removed each time from the classroom and the school. Nothing went into the school’s waste bins. I took it all home and disposed of everything that way.
hth. boston
We do have a school nurse. My son tests there or he has the option to test where ever he needs, whenever he needs to. He has a back up test strip holder that he places the used strips in and just uses a folded up tissue to stop blood that he keeps in his meter (I myself do the same thing) and we replace it each morning. At my elementary school, most of the kids test with the nurse and one little girl, whom I taught, I’d test her whenever she felts she needed to and did everything right there in the classroom. She has alcohol wipes, but many times I’d just grab a tissue. Then I’d just toss in the trash. By the time matinee comes it’s dried up. This is a Kindergarten classroom. The kids were used to it and fascinated by it. Great teachable moment. What ever you decide, or what ever is most comfortable for your child, go with that. Make your son involved with his 504. I know for mine, he can carry a water bottle, no questions asked if he needs to use the restroom, can carry snacks, no testing if BS is above 200 (it really affects his cognitive ability), extra testing on PE days, can carry and use his cell phone to call me if needed (he has only done this a few times in the nurses office), but those are some of the basics that I wanted in his plan. Hope some of this helps.
Christy in VA
It has been our experience that the testing procedures are better dealt with directly with the nurse using a medical plan from the doctor. The schools nurse or clinic should already have their own rules in place regarding disposal and such. If not or if you don’t have a nurse, I guess you should take the opportunity to write your plan however it best helps minimize disruption for your child. We used the 504 plan to really focus on how diabetes affects his function in the classroom. We do not test in the classroom, thereby minimizing exposure on both parts. Additionally the classroom teacher may or may not have the skill to address issues. Christy has some very good suggestions for your plan. We use all of them. We additionally require that the bg test number be recorded on the test answer sheet and that a buddy is required to accompany our son to the nurse if he feels or appears low. This of course would be affected by the age of your student. Don’t be afraid to speak up later if something isn’t working.
Hi, I am a student who has diabetes and when I was in elementary school I would go down to the school office (which was convent since it was in the center of the school) after telling my teacher where I was going and I would check my blood sugar there and then wipe the blood off with a paper towel or tissue. I would also treat for my blood sugar while I was in the school office. When I left elementary school for middle and high school I switched to carrying my meter and something to treat my blood sugar with at all times since the main office was not as close as it was in my elementary school. My preference has been the latter method since it allows me to stay in class instead of having to leave to check my blood sugar, also it has allowed me to develop the habit of keeping my meter on me at all times whenever I leave my house. I also do sometimes throw my used strips and tissues away in a school garbage (though I usually just keep it on me until I get home so I do not have to stand up in the middle of class. I hope this helps, the other comments on this conversation have great advice too.
Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston [ http://www.joslin.org/ ] has been posting articles on children with diabetes returning to school. Parents are urged to meet with teachers, or school nurse to put in place a written plan.
From the link above, scroll down and you will find the latest article near the page bottom on the left.
Hi,
My son is a Freshman in high school. I am the guidance counselor at the middle school in the same district in which he attends. According to his 504 he is allowed to test wherever he is comfortable. However he usually tests in the classroom and treats in the classroom unless he really doesn’t feel well then he either is escorted to the nurse or myself. We share a nurse for all of our three buildings in our district. If you are looking for a good sample 504 plan to follow and get some ideas from on The American Diabetes Associations Website under Safe At School there is a sample 504 that is excellent. As far as disposal there is a sharps container in all buildings in the office area. Hope this helps.