November 12, 2004
Hyperglycemia and DKA, School and Daycare
Question from Mound Valley, Kansas, USA:
What rights does my daughter have when it comes to participating in gym class? Does she have to participate when the thoughts of a shower STRESS her out so much her blood sugars soar to over 600 mg/dl [33.3 mmol/L]? We need advice on what steps to take to help her calm down and get her blood sugars down. The school is not budging. This is harming her health. I don’t want to hear how great exercise is for her and how important gym class is. It must not be for her or her blood sugars wouldn’t be so high.
Answer:
Have you talked with the school counselor or the gym teacher? I wonder what concerns your daughter has that is making this so stressful? Is she being teased? Is she embarrassed ?
Managing her blood sugars may require adjusting her insulin, adjusting her meal plan, or participating in some stress management sessions with a counselor.
It is important that your daughter have a 504 plan at school to outline how to handle her diabetes. For more information, read Sample 504 and IEP Plans.
BS
