Question from London, Kentucky, USA:

My daughter is 8 years old and in the third grade. She has had type 1 diabetes for two years and she uses an insulin pump. She is wonderful student, at the top of her class. For the last three years. she has gotten over all achiever award, top spelling, reading and math awards. She is not on a 504 plan at her school; how important is this? Should I request that she be put on a 504 plan?

I had a meeting with the school staff at the middle of her first grade school year and she was denied a 504. Last year, she missed over the days allowed without a doctor’s excuse. I don’t take her to her doctor every time she is ill, or her blood sugars are high with ketones. We are three hours away from her endocrinologist and we get instructions over the phone. The attendance clerk called me to let me know if she missed any more days without an excuse, she could fail, even though she is an honor student. This is 10 days.

We’re afraid that in the school that she attends, she will be placed with kids that are at a slower pace on learning. Her principal told me that diabetes didn’t fall into the disability category. Her doctor says that almost all his patients are on a 504 plan. Tell me what this does for my daughter, advantages and disadvantages. Even though her previous teachers have taken great care of her, I’m afraid this year is different. Her teacher doesn’t take diabetes seriously. She let her have some candy the other day without a bolus, telling my daughter she could be the judge of it!