July 24, 2001
School and Daycare
Question from Israel:
Our three and a half year old daughter, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 12 months, has only had one hypoglycemic incident which bordered on a seizure/unconsciousness, and even then, we were able to raise her blood sugar by rubbing sugar onto her inner cheek. How concerned do we have to be about severe reactions involving seizures? Are there some children who are more likely to react to a low this way? Can we in any way assume our daughter will not since she hasn’t before? We are currently meeting with preschool staff and want to balance informing them versus scaring them. How important is it that they be trained to give glucagon?
Answer:
Unfortunately, you do have to be vigilant for hypos and the potential for seizures. You have been fortunate. I don’t mean that all patients have seizures, but some do.
You need to inform the school about your child’s schedule. They need to know how she acts when low and how to recognize, document with glucose and treat. I would think it best if someone or more than just one, since people are absent, is trained to give glucagon before calling emergency people. It’s just safest. You can give the personal history of your child to keep the school from panic.
LD
