Diabetes in school

What you need to know in school!

What is diabetes?

In type 1 diabetes the amount of glucose in the body is too high because of a lack of insulin as the cells producing insulin have or are being destroyed by the body

Insulin is a hormone which controls the amount of glucose in our blood and opens the door to the cells so glucose from our food and drink can be used as energy

What about type 2 diabetes?

Body is able to produce insulin but not working well

Usually life style related, onset later on in life, higher prevalence ethnic population

Controlled by restrictive diets, tablets, although sometimes need insulin injections

Diet

No such thing as diabetic dietType of insulin regime dictates when

need to eat/snackMay need to eat in lesson/ between

lessons/ prior to exercise/ during examsImportance of starchy foods

Why injections?

ProteinNew developmentsFor life

Twice daily injections

Multiple daily injections

Low blood sugars ( hypo)

What is a hypo 4= the floor Causes Too much insulin Missed/ delayed meal or snack Not enough intake complex carbs Weather D + V Stress/emotions Exercise Alcohol

Signs & symptoms

Hungry Shaky/wobbly Pale/sweaty Moody Dizzy Sleepy ‘out of character’ Tingling/pins+needles crying

Hot Angry Incoherent Uncoordinated ‘weird’

Adolescent behaviour? Confirm with blood test!

All individual will usually have good awareness

Treatment of simple hypo

Confirm with blood testLiquid sugar or something that will turn

into liquid sugar e.g one of these Lucozade( 60 mls), full sugar Coke, fresh fruit juice ( 150 mls), dextrose tablets (3 or 4), treat size pkt Haribo, 10 Skittles/ Jellie Bellies or 3 Starburst or Fruit pastilles

Hypobox

Safety!

Treat young person experiencing hypo in situ- do not leave unattended

May need encouragement, simple commands

Check blood sugar level after 10 mins.- repeat above if still under 4

Follow on carbs once above 4 mmols

Moderate hypo/ use of Glucogel

What is Glucogel If unable to follow instructions but responsive

use Glucogel May be agitated, symptoms exaggerated Use Glucogel bucally – do not insert fingers Little bit at a time – massage cheek repeat

until responding, ok to switch to tastier option once able to follow instructions/ co operate- wash hands if assisting with blood sugar check

Glucogel

Severe hypo

Unconscious/ fitting/ wide pupils/low blood sugar

Do not place anything in mouth- maintain safety

Call 999 inform diabetic child- inform family

Ensure hypo treatments go where ever young person goes ( school trips etc) if unable to confirm with blood test safer to treat!

High blood glucose

No fixed figure but generally if below 15 mmols and feeling well no immediate action needed

Causes: Lack of insulin Too much food Lack of activity Illness Stress/ emotions/ hormones

Hyperglycaemia signs and symptoms

HeadacheIrritable/ mood changeNeeding toilet more frequentlyThirstyTummy painNauseousBlurred vision

What to do?

Check blood glucose levelEncourage extra sugar free fluidsAllow to use toilet as often as neededRefer to planMay need extra insulin- allow to be

administeredIf feeling unwell call family- needs closer

monitoring especially if vomiting

Blood testing

WhyHowBy who?WhenMemory function‘Golden’ tool if not quite right- confirm

and know what to do

Management of exercise

Encourage exercise as for any young person but need simple preparation

Before activity, esp. if e.g. swimming check level, may need extra snack

Have dextrose tablets or access to sugary drink if levels drop

After activity may need extra carbs but depends on intensity and length of exercise

Questions?

Contact no’s availableEducational literatureEvery young person individual- not

everything is diabetes!