Oh, hi. It's been a while, hasn't it? Yeah. Slacker central over here. I read and I think about things to write but the motivation just disappeared last month (and the month before that, if I'm being honest). I'm hoping the new year will kick my butt into action a little bit and have me posting here more often.
On to the latest:
Olivia has been going to the nurse too frequently to treat low blood sugars. She usually has stuff in her bag to treat, but the nurse has been insisting that Olivia go down there for every low. In O's IEP it states that she can treat in class and there's a doctor's note in place, so I don't quite get what the deal is with the nurse.
Yesterday I got an email from one of O's teachers, saying that she hadn't started an assignment they were given over the break. When I talked to O about it at the end of the school day, she said she didn't know about it because she'd been at the nurse when the assignment was given out. In the email, the teacher also mentioned that O was missing a lot of class time because she was at the nurse's so frequently.
Last night, I pulled out my copy of the IEP, just to confirm that the language was in there. I went to Target and bought a huge bag of Skittles and packaged up a bunch of them so she could have them with her at all times. (As for the Skittles - I can get a huge bag for about $5, which is much cheaper than glucose tabs and we are on an extremely tight budget over here, so I save where I can.) I wrote a note to the teachers - all of them, to head off any potential issues - and to the nurse. I attached a copy of the page of the IEP that states that O can treat in class.
I hope this helps her. The nurse seems to think that Olivia has to be treated like all the other kids with D in school, most of whom haven't had it for that long and who don't have anything in place about testing/treating in class. Even though the nurse calls Olivia her "model diabetic" (and don't get me started on that term), she still seems to be treating her as though O doesn't know what she's doing. It's frustrating me, Olivia and the teachers. I really hope this nips all this in the bud. I like the school nurse but she doesn't seem to listen to me when I explain things to her. She's been helpful to Olivia but at times, it feels as though she's treating O with kid gloves and I just don't get it.
Julia,
I am a school nurse now. I have a fourth grader who was missing class to treat lows even though her candy was with her. I spoke to her and her teacher and now she treats the lows in class herself. (in 4th grade) I prefer it that way. I don't want students missing class time if they don't have to. The girl has had D for 8 of her 9 years of life. I trust her to treat a low like she should. If it's in O's IEP the nurse hopefully will back off. I think people who don't live it don't understand that these kids are pretty independant with thier care. Riley is pretty independant and he's only 6. He has to be. It's his disease. He lives with it 24/7.
Penny, that's exactly what Olivia has been saying. She hates that the nurse treats all the D kids the same and even though O and I have tried to explain it to her, the nurse just doesn't seem to get it. It gets frustrating after a while. She's had this nurse for 4.5 years now - you'd think she'd get it, y'know?
julia,Ihave had Diabetes since I was in 5th grade(in 1970) and I have always been able to treat my lows in the classroom as long as I had candy or glucose tablets with me. In sixth grade J went on girl scout camp outs and taught another Diabetic how to give her own shots so she wasn't dependant on her mother. Children with Diabetes can be very independant and can manage a lot of their own care. I see no reason why Olivia can handle her own lows in the classroom so she doesn't miss class.
Jean
Julia, I'd check with the school district and also ask the school nurse about any changes in school-district policy. With the increasing "police state" that exists in schools, many children who are capable of testing themselves and correcting in the classroom are required (by school district policy or by state policy) to go to the nurse's office, even for a normal fingerstick.
These policies often override any educational plan the parents have set up with the school.
thats a good idea about checking w the district. my son is seven and even though he can check himself i respect his teacher when she asks that he does this in the nurses office.(he is very messy w the blood)but on the other hand school nurses and district officials are not always up on the legalities. our school nurse was suspended this year after having my 7 year old prime his pump on his own w it attached to his body. I AM ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY. anyway even our district health coordinator believes that legally the nurse is the only one allowed to administer glucagon. WRONG! emergency situation (sometimes life or death) anyone can do it. i guess i'm just saying theres a lack of proper education no matter how much we try to provide they think they know better because they are RN's. sorry if i babbled but i and his teacher get very frustrated w this situation too. hope things work out for O!