Type 1 diabetic and after school sports

kidzcare · Sep 20, 2016

Looking for help. MA middle school diabetic student playing after school sports. According to ADA and 504, what is a schools obligation for care of an insulin dependent diabetic student during after school programs? Mom is stating that there needs to be a medical person available to administer glucagon, should it be needed. In MA, glucagon cannot be delegated so it would have to be a nurse. I'm wondering what other schools do, especially MA. How about away games? Thanks!!

I'm thinking this would have to be addressed in her 504. I think it is unrealistic to expect that a nurse can attend every home and away game. Won't mom be at most of the games to administer in an emergency? What about glucose tabs?

JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2016

I have a few students with Type-1 Diabetes that play sports. They each have a travel kit with glucose tabs and plan made to check their blood sugar before and after a practice and game.

I do not pack/send glucagon and parents are aware of this, as I am not present (every parent I've worked with prefers this if I'm not there). I do, however, train needed coaches on anything else diabetes-related and review an emergency action plan. At least 1 parent attends every game.

100kids, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2016

I haven't had this in my district but have been contacted by other local districts seeing if I wanted to work after school as a 1:1 Nurse for an athlete with diabetes or epilepsy. By law the school cannot exclude the child from school activities or require a parent to be there so if they need a Nurse onsite per their IEP or 504, the school pays an RN to sit at practice and go to games when a parent in unable. I have a friend who went o basketball practice everyday for 2 months last year for 1 student. Mom and Dad could go to games but not practices so the school hired her to be the student's nurse for sports.