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January 6, 2001

Social Issues: School and Daycare

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Question from Lincoln, Nebraska, USA:

My two year old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three weeks ago. Lots of people think I should be able to go back to work after my 12 week FMLA leave [see below]. I can’t imagine sending my daughter back to daycare. Who would notice the low blood sugars like I do? I would also have to trust them to give her snack, lunch, snack, and blood sugar tests on time. I don’t want to abdicate my responsibility as a parent, but I’ll admit having only one income would be a financial strain. I’m sure there are plenty of children who went back to daycare, but I would love to hear what the time frame was.

Answer:

From: DTeam Staff

I can understand your fear. You have nine weeks to educate the day care center. Talk to the people, educate them, teach them how to measure glucose and what to report, also figure out how you will be available, cell phone, etc. Plan for a true emergency; 911 and all. What about glucagon — is it an option? Have glucose gel for them. It really is overwhelming now, but many others have successfully done this. There are forms for you to fill out, use them and this will help you and the center.

LD
Additional comments from Stephanie Schwartz, diabetes nurse specialist:

We have a number of resources to help you. For an extensive discussion of this topic please see Diabetes at School. It might be also be helpful for you to spend some of your time in our Chat Rooms to talk about your concerns with other parents and learn how they handled things.

You should check with your daughter’s daycare providers to see what (if any) experience they have had with children with diabetes. You can also investigate other providers in your area have dealt with young children with diabetes. Your daughter’s diabetes team, and the local chapters of American Diabetes Association and Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, should be able to help.

SS

[Editor’s comment: [FMLA: The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 is a federal statute which entitles eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth, adoption, placement of a child in foster care, or serious illness of a child, parent, spouse or the employee. Additionally, health insurance benefits must be continued under the same terms and conditions as if the employee were not on leave, and the employee must be permitted to return to the same or an equivalent position upon returning from leave. See Leave Administration at the United States Office of Personnel Management for more information.]

WWQ]