Whenever the new school year approaches, teachers start thinking about preparing their children to do the best they can. This isn’t an easy task since every child is different. It gets particularly harder, however, if there are students with diabetes in your class. Diabetes is a very serious illness in which blood sugar cannot be regulated properly by the body. That is why it is imperative to help students who have diabetes so that they can perform to the best of their potential.
Let’s look at some ways in which you can help students with diabetes in school.
Different Symptoms Can Arise
Not every child suffering from diabetes will have the same visible symptoms. There are different signs that a student might show in school that you should look out for. These also depend on whether it is Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes, as both are different. Some of the common signs include headaches, fatigue, rapid heart rate, shaking, hunger, and more. If you notice a student diagnosed with diabetes facing one of these issues, take action right away.
Always Keep Them Accompanied
A teacher can help with controlling diabetes also by making sure that the young learners are never left alone if they’re feeling unwell. Diabetes care requires instant attention at times because of the sudden drop in blood glucose levels, so ensure that you are always aware of your student’s condition. If they need to visit the school nurse for professional health care, send a student along with them. Encourage them to use the buddy system at school so they are with someone most of the time outside the classroom.
Diabetes Leads to Thirst
A child with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes needs to drink a lot of water every now and then. As a teacher, allow them to keep a water bottle at their desk. Pay your attention to the essay on diabetes and you’ll see that these little things can go a long way in regulating blood sugar levels and keeping the painful consequences of diabetes at bay. Also, make sure that children with low blood sugar issues can use the bathroom as frequently as they need to.
Treat Them Normally in Public
Those suffering from diabetes do not like to be treated in a special way, especially if they’re young and surrounded by their peers. Don’t make them sit out of group tasks or draw attention to them by asking questions. If you feel like they need some health care, take them aside and ask privately how they are feeling. This way, you are ensuring their blood glucose management by monitoring it and also ensuring that their education and other important experiences are not being affected.
Snacks Can Help
To combat low blood sugar levels, a student needs to have periodic snacks while in class. Sometimes, a quick snack becomes essential to keep a student’s diabetes in check. You can go the extra mile and keep some snacks with you to help their blood find balance during snack time. Things like glucose tablets can also help a lot. Other than these tabs, you can have various items that have 15 grams of carbs like jelly beans, a 4-ounce pack of juice, etc.
While new oral insulin tablets are being tested and may become real in some years, these snacks can come in handy on field trips when you don’t have professional health care available. Also, never use anything without consulting the doctor first.
Be Flexible
Whether it is high blood sugar or low, it can leave someone suffering from this disease very weak and unfocused. They may need to use an insulin pump or some other medical device. This is where they need you to be sympathetic and understanding. Give them a moment to recover. If they have a test to sit in, provide some additional time or reschedule it. If you give them a little break, they will be able to recover the glucose levels in their blood and be able to perform normally again.
Learn About It
Diabetes is a complex disease. You should access as many health articles and papers on it as you can and learn about it. Study about managing diabetes at school and how to treat kids with diabetes. Talk to their parents and ask them about their health routine, including any food that they can make and bring with them. Teachers in every school need to have a plan that can work in helping a child’s day go smoother. And to do all of this, learning and teaching about diabetes to your team and other people working at the school is essential.
Conclusion
Diabetes is a terrible disease and no kid should have to endure it at school, but they do, unfortunately. Diabetes management is, therefore, essential for a school to implement where a plan is made and people can share it among themselves. Diabetes care has many forms and there is plenty you can do to regulate the sugar in the blood. If your team works according to a plan, uses the right information, and follows the proper health protocols, the education of a child suffering from diabetes can be made very normal and they can have a successful year.
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