New Diabetic Kiddo

Specialties School

Published

Specializes in School Nursing.

lots of paperwork, lots of questions and really keeps me on my toes ! :rolleyes:

i am always a little nervous when i recieve a new student with diabetes. insulin dependent, fragile, young.........

hope i am not alone in my nervousness !!

praiser :redbeathe

Up Vote Up Vote ×

No, you are not alone! A newly diagnosed diabetic who is in the "honeymoon" stage is enough to make your B/P rise big time as their blood sugars ride the crazy rollercoaster all day long!! It is best to have a plan in place, written preferably by the healthcare provider (pediatric endocrinologist) that will address the target range of blood sugars as well as the dosage/time of insulin and the number/time of carbs. If I don't have a plan spelled out, I get real nervous!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing.
no, you are not alone! a newly diagnosed diabetic who is in the "honeymoon" stage is enough to make your b/p rise big time as their blood sugars ride the crazy rollercoaster all day long!! it is best to have a plan in place, written preferably by the healthcare provider (pediatric endocrinologist) that will address the target range of blood sugars as well as the dosage/time of insulin and the number/time of carbs. if i don't have a plan spelled out, i get real nervous!!

i totally agree district :nurse: thanks for your input.

praiser:redbeathe

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing.

Especially tricky for you, Praiser because aren't you in elementary? I had a new one diagnosed over Christmas break but he is 15. Not that it is without challenges. Adolescents have their own set of problems not just with learning the routine but accepting the diagnosis. (No-if you ignore it it WON'T go away) Somehow the little ones are scarier, though. You'll do a great job!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

I have 2 relatively new diabetics in my elementary school. The 5yo has been diabetic for a year and the 9yo has been diagosed about 8 months. The older one was always high until she got her pump 2 months ago. Now her sugars are in tight control and I hardly have to do anything but help her count carbs(and she's getting better that that.) Its the 5yo that gives me a fit. She is very brittle. She can come in at 8:15 at 341 and before 10:30 she's 54. Then lunch brings her up, but by 2pm she's often crashing. Four times last week! and bless her heart, she is just about clueless. Thankfully, she *does* recognize when she's low, and she's never wrong. Still, it makes me a nervous wreck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing, Ambulatory Care, etc..

Praiser,

You are not alone! {{{HUGS}}} New dx anything is enough to make any one of us a nervous wreck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nursing.

You are not alone! This is a prime example of why nurses are so needed full time on every campus. If it makes us nervous, what about the unlicensed people that have to help these kids?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Coronary Care, School Nurse.

When you stop getting "flutters" in your gut then it might be time to get out of the business.:redpinkhe

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Adolescents have their own set of problems not just with learning the routine but accepting the diagnosis. (No-if you ignore it it WON'T go away)

And for middle-aged Type IIs, eating candy by the pound, smoking, defiantly refusing to take your medicine, etc. won't make it go away either. It can definitely make your eyesight, legs, kidney function, etc. go away, along with the rest of your body eventually.

This isn't just something that kids do. :down:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I agree nurses are needed in the schools. Having worked in the hospitals I've seen the longterm damages diabetes have on the body. Its sad and depressing knowing much of that could have been avoided of patients had better understanding of their disease and how to manage it. School nurses have a great opportunity to help these kids succeed, make better decisions and live healthier lives. Hopefully we won't see them in the hospitals with diabetes related complications in the future.

Praiser, the parents of that child is fortunate to have you there to care for their child. Keep up the good work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in medical/telemetry/IR.

There's a really good support group for the parents

over at

CWD-childrenwithdiabetes.com

they're my other family there-as my dd was dx almost 5 yrs ago now. Its a life changing experience.

another good resource is type1parents.org

I don't go there anymore just due to time, but they have info really well organized

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment