Diabetic student not wanting to drink water

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · Dec 20, 2017

You don't "get" kids to do anything. Developmentally that just isn't a possibility. Hey - I'm an adult and I drink too much iced tea and not enough water.

Document every instance of education and every time you talk to mom as well.

You can also attempt to talk with the provider; they may have some thoughts or they may not.

Amethya · Dec 20, 2017

You don't "get" kids to do anything. Developmentally that just isn't a possibility. Hey - I'm an adult and I drink too much iced tea and not enough water.
Document every instance of education and every time you talk to mom as well.
You can also attempt to talk with the provider; they may have some thoughts or they may not.

I know you can't make him, but I'm not sure how else I can get it into his head that he needs to drink or he can get worse.

His mother and provider have spoken to him about this, but he still doesn't seem to understand how important it is. Especially with his type of diet and how high his BG goes sometimes.

He has these two normal water bottles, and he SUPPOSE to refills them all the time.

He basically only drank 1/4 of a water bottle and that's it. I'm not asking him to chug it all at once, but at least during class, to drink sips during, and at least finish one bottle.

KKEGS, MSN, RN · Dec 20, 2017

How old is this student? Would some type of reward system work? It's not the same situation but I had a student last year, a 3rd grader, who was quite the chatterbox and she came to me each afternoon for a straight cath. Her parents and I both suspected that she had some ADHD type behavior going on and it could be difficult to get her to focus on the task at hand which for her was preparing the supplies for her cath. Sometimes it could take 25 minutes (!) just because she wanted to play and chat and whatnot and I didn't want her missing so much instruction time. I finally told her that if we could get the whole procedure done in 15 minutes or less than I would sit and just talk with her about whatever she wanted to talk about for 5 whole minutes afterwards.

Perhaps you could work out some type of reward with his teacher or parents. For example if he can drink all of his water in his water bottle at school he gets 15 minutes of video games or something at home or something special in the classroom.

OhioBPH · Dec 20, 2017

You can try setting goals for him. Find out how much water his provider or mom wants him to drink, in ounces, and set a plan to refill at certain times to get him close.

For example, I will tell students to "Drink one in the morning, refill as soon as you get here. Drink that before lunch, and refill. try to finish that one before you leave so you can refill it here, and try to drink one through the evening."

But kids sometimes are not going to get it. helping come up with a plan may help, but if he doesn't want to do it you can't make him.

Amethya · Dec 20, 2017

He's in 4th grade, 9 years old. He's a good kid, but I understand it frustrates him to have to drink so much water all the time!

I was thinking of writing on his water bottles and put like a goal for him to drink, because if he can drink 1/4, then if he can drink 1/4 each class period, and then refill, then it could help him keep track how much he drinks.

Flare, ASN, BSN · Dec 21, 2017

You know the old saying - you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Same with students. Document the conversations you've had. You can try giving the student a water bottle with markings on it - 1/4 of the bottle by 10 am, 1/2 by noon.. whatever you come up with, but there are still no guarantees.

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · Dec 21, 2017

I just thought of something. My personal HS junior drinks in the morning, then nothing at school, at lunch (open campus so she leaves) and then has a big glass of water when she gets home. She hates school restrooms. Is that part of it?

Amethya · Dec 21, 2017

I just thought of something. My personal HS junior drinks in the morning, then nothing at school, at lunch (open campus so she leaves) and then has a big glass of water when she gets home. She hates school restrooms. Is that part of it?

I don't think so, I just think he wants to be like any other little boy, but because he has this issue, he tries his hardest not show his "illness"and if he's constantly drinking, going to the restroom or have water bottles in his desk while anyone else doesn't, he'll feel singled out.

That's my theory, because while I understand also drinking so much water is such a hassle (I used to have to drink A LOT OF WATER for blood tests and ultrasounds) and sometimes makes you feel sick (Threw up A LOT myself). But I told him I'm not asking him to chug two bottles at once, I'm asking him to drink at least some water, throughout his class and so on, until he needs to refill.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Dec 21, 2017

When we teach something to someone else, we really learn it.

Maybe he could be given extra credit by a teacher if he teaches this material to another student(s). It might help him to understand it better, also help him feel less "different", less embarrassed.

It could also help other students understand diabetes and the importance of being kind to others who might seem different/weird.

Could be a good thing all around.

Maybe someone will want to become a diabetes specialist/endocrinologist/researcher.

Or instead of extra credit, each student or a group of students could do a presentation on a health topic. That could help this student feel even less of an oddity.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Dec 21, 2017

What about, instead of bottles that draw attention to him, you ask him to take a drink every time he passes the water fountain? Might that work?

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · Dec 21, 2017

With all the other "hard core" issues that come along with diabetes, I honestly might save my "power struggle" points for a more important one.

Is something like "Crystal Light" an option to get more fluids into him?