What it takes to make school a safe place for students with
diabetes (BPT) - When children head off to school, it's assumed
that they'll be in a safe place where they'll be well taken care
of. For the most part, that's the truth. But for children with
diabetes, the school environment can pose a serious health risk
if there's no one on site to help them manage their disease.
It's important for schools to make diabetes safety a priority,
as 215,000 children in the U.S. under the age of 20 are living
with diabetes. Safe schools are those that have staff who are
properly trained in caring for children with diabetes and work
with parents and students to manage their disease. "It's not
only important for a child's health to have a plan in place that
designates a school nurse and other trained staff to help manage
his or her diabetes at school, but it's also essential in
ensuring children with diabetes are treated fairly and have the
same educational opportunities as their peers," says Linda M.
Siminerio, RN, Ph.D.,