My seven year old daughter is a student in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Tuscaloosa City Board of Education is refusing to provide funding in order for the school to hire a part-time nurse. They want my daughter to be responsible for drawing/dialing up her insulin and giving herself her shot. What can I do? I don’t want her to have to do this. Not at this age. Can you tell me what my options are? Her doctor agrees with me and has sent a letter to the City Board. Does the 504 plan cover this?

It is obvious that your daughter is not old enough to handle this responsibility alone. As long as you have filed a 504 plan, the school is required to make needed accommodations for her. It is my understanding that the school is required to designate someone to carry out the treatment plan described in the 504 plan and cannot require you to sign a waiver of responsibility. We have a new section on laws as they apply to schools and the child who has diabetes: The Law, Schools, and Your Child with Diabetes, which reviews the laws that parents of children with diabetes need to understand to ensure that their children receive proper care and access to education while at school.

SS