Question:
hiya just wanted a rant to some people who would understand, my 8 year old is diabetic and has recently had his insulin changed anyway i work in his school at lunchtimes and am so glad i do, he was waiting in the dinner queue and a teacher came to get him she took him back to the classroom for 20 mins asking him to answer a question before he could leave, i said to a colleague im worried hes low as what she is doing is going to make it worse so she went to see if he could be tested to be on the safe side and was told he was tested at break over an hour ago and was fine, by the time he made it into the hall he was in severe hypo he couldnt stand and was closing his eyes his result was 2.3.
i went to see the teacher after school whose response was he shouldnt be treated any different to anyone else i said i didnt expect him to be but if he was low he needed treating and that she had risked his health, she didnt feel she had and said it wasnt her choice to make him wait 20 mins it was his as he wouldnt answer the question. i feel very angry about her whole attitude and feel i should see the deputy head tomorrow who has a diabetic husband and so should understand.
thanku for letting me rant for abit
anna marie x
Answers:
I agree that this needs to be taken further so that staff understand the importance of his diabetes care and avoid this type of thing happening again. That teacher's attitude is poor and needs to be addressed for your son's safety. Don't blame you for wanting to have a rant, I'd be steaming if that happened to my daughter.
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anna marie,

I would definitely speak with the deputy head about this situation, that is a disgusting attitude by the teacher involved, and she really needs to be spoken with immediately. It could be that she doesn't understand the seriousness of diabetes, in which case the deputy head, having a husband with diabetes, is in a good position to speak with her about today's events. Good luck!

Nigel
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thanks both of u it makes me feel im not making a fuss about nothing i felt she was both rude and uncaring, she really didnt see she had done anything wrong i asked her how she would feel if it were her children cnt even remember her reply i was so angry
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HI. I am sorry to hear about your experience. You are quite right to be angry and I have to say I probably would of let her have it there and then. This issue must be addressed and she needs some immediate training. Even though this is not one of my children I am feeling very angry too. I'm quite annoyed about the statement of treating all children the same. Would she of expected a child with a broken leg to take part in the long jump! Let us know how you get on. Leggott
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Hi Anne Marie,

I aome to this site after browsing for renewing my medical exemption certificate and I find your posting most concerning: surely primary school teachers are advised on the potential issues a young type 1 diabetic may face in class?

When you say your son was tested at break is this something the school does regularly, as matter of fact? I¡¯m apologise, I don¡¯t know how the schools treat young diabetics in their classes. However, I do believe all primary school teachers have received training in dealing with diabetics, epileptics and other vulnerable young folk.

Moreover, it is quite possible your son delayed his question answer because of the effects of the hypoglycaemic reaction he was experiencing. You should mention this when you speak to the Head: it is unlikely he suddenly dropped to 2.3 mmol/l in twenty minutes from a ¡®normal¡¯ blood sugar meaning he was already low on presentation to the classroom: he needed his lunch!

Good luck! Don¡¯t be too hard on them, your son, still, will be attending the school afterwards ¨C unless you decide otherwise¡­
__
Marc Dominic De Luca.
Type 1 diabetic > twenty years.
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Please forgive typing errors, instead read:

I came and I apologise, I'll preview them in future!
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i wont be going in all guns blazing dont worry plus i dont think i need too i am right in what i am saying he has been treated badly and im sure when i see the deputy head tomorrow she will feel the same as her husband has diabetes so she knows the ins and outs of it all, his class teacher is fantastic as is the teaching assistant i couldnt ask more of them in fact i took them flowers only the other week as they have helped tremendously when we went through a bad patch of highs and lows, they did everything they could for him im just very dissapointed in this teachers reaction blaming everything on him saying all he had to do was answer even when i explained when he is hypo putting words together is very hard work let alone answering maths questions, the most important thing to me is his health everything else comes second and i explained she had put his health at risk this afternoon as had she left it any longer we would of been in an ambulance but she just kept saying im sorry u fell that way but he could of had his lunch once he answered he knew that very helpfull im sure
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Anne Marie,

I think you have a good basis for a discussion with the (deputy) Head here. However, I¡¯m sure you really don¡¯t want the hassle. I¡¯d ask what training is given to primary school teachers in regard of diabetic students in their class. There must be some protocol in place, although it may vary among different counties.

However from your recent description of the ¡®high and lows¡¯ there is a chance your son¡¯s diabetes is perhaps becoming/seeming a little brittle. I do not wish to alarm you but if this is the case you need to find out why. It could well be the consumption of sugars (like his mates do) and then over correction with insulin. I don¡¯t know how long it is between the ¡®break¡¯ and lunchtime plus 20 mins.

My curiosity, hinted in an earlier post, is how does your son cope with his diabetic condition at school? Does he monitor and control it himself? I¡¯d be grateful to hear your answers on these questions because I was already at university when I developed diabetes (twenty years ago) so none of this (school monitoring?) applied to me.

As you have clearly stated you¡¯re not going in with all guns blazing, yet you need an explanation. Have a word and see what you think¡­

Let us know,

Dominic.
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I have the same problem - that the staff don't seem to get that once a blood sugar test is done you need to act on it or the routine in place. Lunch time is Lunch time! I must admit I also don't go in 'guns blazing' but this is mainly because Khaleb is with me. If Khaleb was elsewhere and no other children in earshot I think I'd give the staff a blast. I've been staying with Khaleb at the place his hypo was poorly treated and my presence (lack of confidence in them) has made them follow instructions more carefully. Khaleb's hypo action plan is also on the wall and his folder placed on the bench.

Take the matter further.

I also agree that your son was probably unable to answer the question with such low blood sugar. It amazes me that people don't recognise hypo symptoms even when they are quite obvious. When Khaleb was 2.4 his teachers thought he was just fine but he was sitting on the floor and did not even get up when I came in the room and was quite pale.
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hi again all,
dominic he was having huge problems on levemir and i was talking to his nurse every single day sometimes twice a day to get him sorted, she agreed levemir was not suiting him with highs of 20 odd to lows of 2 or 3 within 2 hrs so he has now changed to lantus which seems to have corrected the problem altho with better control at lunchtimes he can be anywhere from 3 or 4mmol to 9mmol depending on if they have done p.e or how hot the day is plus with the lovely weather we have been having they keep extending their playtime so they can enjoy the sun which all takes it effect on the results we are getting, his teachers are well aware of the signs and symptoms they have an emergency box in his classroom which consists of gels, dextrose, juices, biscuits, blood tester and details of the signs and symptoms to look for and how to treat him for them. his nurses went in and trained his class teachers at the begining of term but this teacher has him for an hour everyday and didnt go to meeting however her reply to me yesterday was she had taught diabetic children before my thought was not very well if u ignore signs of hypos like jen said they are fairly obvious when u know the child. by the time dylan reached me in the hall he was at the point of collapse he couldnt support his weight with his legs giving way he was crying hysterically and couldnt respond when u spoke to him basically he looked like he had had a long night on the booze but she had ignored all of this and kept him for 20 mins to make him answer a question which he couldnt then she left to have her lunch and leave me to sort what she had caused. what has made me really angry is her attitude when i have gone in for a chat about it blaming him for not answering and not seeing why she shood treat him any different to any other child. i will see the head this morning and hope they see what i do in this situatuion and that it wasnt acceptable. the break time is about half 10 and lunch starts 12.10 but they said he was 11.6 but failed to wash his hands so im not sure this result is very accurate as when he came to me i tested without washing his hands and got a result of 9.8 yet i knew he wasnt right so i washed his hands and got 2.3 i have stressed how important washing the hands can be so hop they will remember this in future.
thanks to u all for ur support and i will let u know how i get on later today
anna marie x
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However, I do believe all primary school teachers have received training in dealing with diabetics, epileptics and other vulnerable young folk.
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Hi ams162,

You need to get some diabete-ezy test wipes. They come in a tiny tissue box and are designed to clean the test site without drying the skin out like alcohol wipes. They don't smell either. So good when you aren't near a tap, and some soaps and cleaners leave residue on hands. I always use them as Khaleb's hands get into all sorts of goo.

After your son's low did he then have to deal with a hyper later on? Khaleb was under 3mmol for about an hour at his Early Learning Centre and later that afternoon/night he just kept going up and up. I also took this info with me when I spoke to Khaleb's teacher. I was up and down the whole night .

Good luck with your meeting!!
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hi jen
no luckly he stabled out i made sure he was where he should be when i left school waited 45 mins b4 leaving he was 6.8 and when he left school he was 8.4 so was very pleased with his results for the afternoon as i like u expected some high readings. its just so worrying all the time ive been told at 8 he needs to take responsibility for his diabetes at school and not rely on me so much but letting go is so hard when u know what has happened.
where do u get those wipes from ive never heard of them asked on here before if anyone had any ideas for hand cleaning and most people said they looked for a toilet to wash their hands it is handy to have something to use when nothing else is available
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Hi

I'm a primary school teacher and we never had any training in any illness. All I know about diabetes I've learned as a parent since February.

I hope you get this sorted out. All staff dealing with Dylan should be aware of his condition and know what to look for - this is simply good practice for any school.

Hope it goes well today

Annette