Re: Children with Diabetes in the School Setting

[Guest guest]

First, where are you located? Laws differ greatly depending on the

state.

Your friend first needs to meet with the advocacy folks at the

American Diabetes Association. They offer incredible support for

situations like this. I find it unconscionable that the school did

nothing when a life-saving treatment was at hand. There is a level of

liability there. The fact that they're still refusing to assist mom

means that she might have to get out the big guns and force the

issue. Children with diabetes fall under the Americans with

Disabilities Act which requires the school to make reasonable

accommodations to ensure that the child has access to an equal

educational opportunity. Courts have interpreted this in all sorts of

different ways, but I'd argue that if the child has hypoglycemic

unawareness and has already had one life-threatening low, then there

is a need to make sure that treatment is at hand and that someone is

able to administer it. Your friend should investigate the need for a

504 plan, which spells out the needs and what's being done to ensure

safety.

I live in WA state. My 9 year old daughter also has type 1 and is

also hypoglycemic unaware. WA state law provides for the " parent

designated adult " (PDA), which means that someone can volunteer to be

trained in diabetes care and can be available in the event that the

school nurse isn't there. Since we have a school nurse only 1 day a

week, we have PDAs trained to assist. They all can give glucagon if

needed.

What I find interesting is that the same schools that refuse to

administer glucagon (usually due to nurse practice acts and

resistance from school nurse groups intending to preserve their jobs

at the expense of student safety) will administer epi pens. While

glucagon is a bit more difficult to administer, the potential side

effects are negligible. You can cause cardiac arrhythmia by making a

mistake in giving epi pens.

Pam Charney PhD, RD, CNSD

Lecturer, Nutrition Sciences

Dept of Epidemiology

School of Public Health and Community Medicine

305-B Raitt Hall

Affiliate Associate Professor

School of Pharmacy

University of Washington

Seattle, WA

> Hi, everyone.

>

> For those of you specializing in pediatrics and/or diabetes: Are

> there any

> laws that protect a child with diabetes when it comes to glucagon

> injection

> for low blood sugar levels? My son's best friend is diabetic and

> runs low

> frequently. Recently he passed out with a BS of 39, but the school

> refused to

> administer glucagon.

>

> Mom is very concerned as the school is still refusing to arrange

> for someone

> to administer glucagon if the situation occurs again.

>

> Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated. The child is 9

> years old.

>

> Thanks.

>

> Audley, MS, RD, LD

>

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