Diabetic students

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · May 19, 2010

Mine is in 3rd grade. She is notoriously unreliable (ie, says she did her shot and she did not, or deny eating breakfast when she really did), so I watch her like a hawk and also keep in touch with mom regularly to make sure she and I are getting the same story.

mustlovepoodles, RN · May 20, 2010

I have a 3rd grader with a pump who is doing very well and a kindergartner whose sugars are all over the place. Recently found out her mother is giving her Lantus on a sliding scale. :eek: With Humilin, also sliding scale. Gah! No wonder this kid is so brittle.

The 3rd grader is really on board. She's only had the pump since Feb but she is doing very well. I don't have to watch her test or put her numbers into the pump. She is quite reliable. She also tests at her seat at 10 and 2--I only see her at those times if there is trouble. She keeps her juice with her and most of the time she just deals with her occasional lows without involving me.

The kindergartner however...About a month ago she decided it would be funny to tell me "stories" about what she ate for breakfast. After she did it twice and I really had to dig to get the answers I lowered the boom on her--she has to bring me her tray AND if she lies to me again, we're going straight to the principal for discipline and we'll call her mother. That took care of it. I know she's young and being silly, but this to too important to mess with. She is so brittle, it's nothing for her to be 350 and then drop to 40. I watch her test and I have to be extremely careful when I draw up her insulin(she's nowhere near ready for the injection portion.) She makes me a nervous wreck.

Supernrse01, BSN · May 20, 2010

I have several diabetic students. My high school and middle school students administer their own without witness. My 4th grader stil comes to the clinic to check his sugar. I watch as he follows the procedure. He then returns to me after lunch and I administer his bolus throuh his pump. He knows how to do it but is still learning. Next year, I am hoping to help him make the transition so that whenhe gets to the Middle school, he will be totally comfortable administering his own bolus.

LACA, BSN, LPN, RN · May 20, 2010

I only have one diabetic student, and he's in 5th grade. He will be going to the middle school next year, so I won't have any diabetics unless a new one pops up. Anyways, he has had a pump since Christmas and he does great! Pretty much just like Mustlovepoodles 3rd grader.

DistrictNurse19 · May 20, 2010

Most elementary and even middle school kids come into the office to check their blood sugars/administer insulin. This way we can be assured that there are no lancets or needles left behind for someone else to get poked with! It also helps us know how things are going.

Gampopa · May 20, 2010

I have 2 kids with T1 DM a 6th grader and a 4th grader. The 6th grader has to be watched with his sugar checks. He has a habit of leaving his hands wet then poking his finger. He also has the habit of blowing off the sugar checks completely. Today he was 440 "Oh, Guess I forgot to check." :mad: The office has to call him down 3 times a day and of course they get caught up with other things and lose track of him. He's also been down to 32 :eek: I am glad there's only a few more days of this year :uhoh3: :yeah: The 4th grader is more reliable. She comes to the office when she needs to and isn't yet caught up in any shenanegans.

schoolnurse09 · May 22, 2010

I have Type 1 DM identical twin 2nd graders. They have pumps. My health para and /or I are all over them through the entire school day. They are brittle, even with pumps. The parents are, well.... not on top of things. And that is putting it mildly. I wouldn't trust the kids to do anything on their own. Thank goodness my health para has a diabetic child, so she knows what's going on, and what to do if something is out of whack, which it often is. Five days til school is out. :yeah: