Awareness of Students with Diverse Learning Needs,
What the Teacher Needs to Know, Volume 1

Classroom Strategies

Schools should have diabetes emergency kits in the home room, sick room, office and gymnasium. On field trips, or on the playing field, teachers are advised to carry such a kit. This kit should include juice, raisins, dextrose or some other form of sugar.

In general, the following classroom management strategies can be considered:

• Hold conferences with the parents early in the school year to determine the individual needs of the child.
• Inform all relevant school personnel of the child's condition.
• Recognize and acknowledge the student's concern and promote understanding and respect for the condition.
• Ensure that meals and snacks are eaten at regular times. This must also be considered for such things as field trips, changed school hours and detentions.
• Allow older children to make decisions and take responsibility for personal maintenance. For example, pizza with friends may be more important than other considerations as long as trade-offs are understood.
• Exercise increases the rate of use of sugar by the body - more active children may be prone to reactions. Most students with diabetes require nourishment before physical activity. Parents can provide information about the appropriate degree of activity of the child and the specific need for more or fewer snacks.
• Explain to the class the dangers of not adhering to a dietary plan even though children love to share food. Think of any meal as a timed release capsule and the necessity of maintaining a balance for the diabetic child.
• Have sugar or juice available at all times.
• If the child does not respond to one administration of sugar or juice, repeat in 10-15 minutes.
• Keep the child supervised at all times following a reaction. Going home alone or leaving the room alone should not be permitted.
• Inform parents of all insulin reactions.