So ever since, I've been stirring my big pot of angst-y HOLY CRAP what am I getting in to and trying to figure it all out.
This is our first kid going into elementary school. I'd be worried if he didn't have diabetes. There is a whole lot of new and uncertain and I don't always love those things. Or ever love those things. Don't get me wrong. I am a planner. I will spreadsheet and list and flowchart my way out of the stickiest of situations. I know we can do this. But I don't even know where to BEGIN. Where do I begin? Seriously?
I know we need a 504 plan- and I know where some really helpful stuff to get us started is- thanks to some awesome D-Mamas pioneering the whole "school" road for those of us who have not yet had to. I just don't want to mess this up. Kindergarten registration is next month, and the school nurse, who I talked with on the phone a couple of months ago, said to call her and set up a time to meet as soon as we are registered.
She seemed very helpful, but at the same time, I don't want to come into this unprepared and be pressured into anything that isn't just right. I don't want to get a 504 plan in place to find that it doesn't work smoothly and then jump through a bunch of hoops to change it. I don't want to set the wrong precedent. And truthfully? I don't KNOW what we want.
Do we want him going to her office for everything? Or testing in the classroom? Do we want separate kits in every classroom or office he will ever be in? Or do we want him to carry his bag everywhere? If he carries his bag, what does he do with it when he's playing? Does someone else hold it? Do we still bolus him before he eats? What if he doesn't finish everything? What if he decides he NEEDS to take a 20 minute dump 5 minutes after he's bolused? (like he does every. single. day.) What if he comes back and his 30 minutes of eating time is up? Or a teacher threw his food away because they thought he was done? What about ALL the teachers he will have? On the kindergarten schedule he has his own teacher, special group work possibly with the other 3 kindergarten teachers, a music teacher, computer teacher, and a PE teacher. When and how do we train ALL these teachers? And what do we train them on? And oh my WORD, P.E!!!!????!?
I keep thinking back to an analogy the speaker used during her presentation. She said that if our kid dropped a mitten or left their coat outside while they were playing at preschool, the teacher or even the front office staff would recognize it and put it back into their backpack, but if that happens at elementary school, it's going to end up in a huge bin in the back of the cafeteria. That really just made it hit home how much bigger of a pond I'm dumping my little goldfish into. It also made me go home and write his name in his coat. Oops.
Every single teacher and staff person at our private preschool knows Liam and knows he has diabetes. Even the parents who volunteer at carpool know that the little camo lunchbox looking thing is NOT his lunch and needs to go straight to the front office. We are in a cozy (albeit not medically trained) little bubble. We have a system. They have laminated sheets in several different formats outlining EVERYTHING they need to know. I'm scared to leave.
Where do I start? Please help me, oh wise ones. :)
I will be watching this post...I am going through the same thing, having just registered Adam for kindergarten. I haven't even begun to process what is going to be needed to get him started in school. It scares the crap out of me.
ReplyDeleteAdam will be the only diabetic in a school of 800 kids. I've only gotten as far as speaking to the nurse/office staff, (I have a 2nd grader already) and they have assured me that I can be at school as much as I want...and they will make every accommodation for him. I've already been allowed to choose his kindergarten teacher (not usually allowed) so I feel okay....but I'm worried about the day-to-day aspects of managing his diabetes in school.
((hugs)) We're in the same boat! I'll be reading for everyone's responses. :)
I got nothing for you, except hugs. Maybe me and my big ball of crazy can joining you in freaking out? Perhaps by the time Elise goes to kindergarten, I'll have it all out of my system.
ReplyDeleteAh WOW. I have been here and you are right it is scary. For the first year Joe was in elementary school I would go to the Health Office or lurk around the school to MAKE SURE I laid my eyeballs on the school nurse. I needed the "reassurance" that she was there.
ReplyDeleteOK. There is also an AWESOME link on the Children With Diabetes Website giving you links to different 504 examples to kids of different ages on all kinds of different insulin regimens
http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/504/
and this is good
http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/d_0q_000.htm
For getting started I would go in with a sample of Liams care and perhaps print out a sample of a 504 that is similar to what you would like for Liam. Even if you and the nurse do not go over his care and the 504 at this time it will be helpful to give her a copy to review so she knows where you are coming from.
On the sub-thing...I made documents on Joe's Diabetes in a "general sense" for the Classroom, for the PE teacher, for the Music teacher, for the Art teacher and so on and so forth. Joe's picture is on the top of the front page. I felt this was so important for subs and for the "specials" classes as they are learning so many new faces. Your school may have a good sub-system in place where they will have a photo of Liam in the "sub-folder" with a description of "D"...ask the nurse the "protocol" on that.
Also, and yes...this is a long comment...sorry...on the boxes in each room vs. the bag. The teachers or the aides carried Joe's bag of supplies for him. This year he is carrying it. I have heard of the pencil box/sugar stashes all over the school idea and that sounds good too. I like that Joe has a glucometer in that bag and sheets for dummies on checking a blood sugar and treating a low.
As far as checking in the classroom. I think if you can...start it out like that. Joe missed a lot of time due to always going down to the health office. This is now the standard of care for these children. Unless his classroom is close to the Health Office...then I suppose it is OK.
Joe has always been pre-bolused and it has been OK. (well except for twice...and well...I am working on it - different story). You could go with post-bolusing and start pumping with Apidra. From what Lexi said his A1C should not take a hit from post bolusing on that rapid analogue.
PHEW...I am long winded. If you have any other questions please feel free to email me...or...I'll check back here later. We are all here for you. It is a stressful time for sure.
P.S. Thanks for the link up to my docx. Unfortunately, I edited it the other day and it looks like I lost a lot of information :(.
What kind of a meeting was this? This seems odd to me. When we went to K orientation/preparedness, there was only the opposite attitude. Although yes, things would be different, we, as parents we comforted that our children would be fine, safe and cared for. Why on earth would they suggest that a sub might give an allergic child peanuts???????? That's simply CRAP! Subs are supposed to have a "directions" sheet and that includes, perhaps first and foremost, the fact that Caleb is allergic to peanuts and has diabetes and what the routine is. It's the top sheet in the folder the sub looks at for instructions. Also, the nurse is supposed to check for any subs that day and contact them. AND, if the nurse is a sub, then the secretary is to call ME.
ReplyDeleteI was there - didn't know where to start. The first year was definitely the most comprehensive in preparation. We got through it though - you will too. :)
First off: POO on this lady for being so negative!! You can do this woman!! You Can!! You are a D Mama, hear you roar!!!
ReplyDeleteIs it just a morning kindergarten? 3.5 hours. That is all. We personally set up a station near the phone in the Kindergarten. They checked their sugar before snack everyday, and then called me with thier number. On days they had cupcakes for a birthday, (which happens WAY too much,) on those days I would run down to the school and bolus. But most days I let him have his snack free. It was usually only 15 carbs or so. And told the teacher no juice. Only water. They ran so much during recess...the free snack was needed anyway!
PS Did I tell you, you CAN do this!! You will rock kindergarten!!
I just started following your blog after searching for blogs of other people with small children who have type 1. My son Gavin is 4&about to start preschool this fall(due to his bday&state law)&then kindergarten the following fall. I am stressing big time! I know it doesn't help you much, but thanks for sharing, because it makes me feel like I'm not the only one! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds to me like the meeting you went to was just trying to scare you out of a public school and into their private program. My son is in Kindergarten this year, I spent a lot of time talking to the school nurse (who is only there once a week or so) and his teacher. We came up with a plan for testing, etc which after the first few weeks of school we changed once we saw how his bgs reacted to the school routine. So don't feel like you have to have it all figured out on day one...changes can be made whenever you need...make sure of that. Diabetes changes so often, you need that flexibility. Reyna has great points(as always!)
ReplyDeleteRight now, my son is in afternoon kindy. He eats lunch, gets on the bus at noon (25 min ride), drops his meter and a snack off at the office then at 2p he goes and gets a bg test and correction if needed (they call me EVERY time) eats a snack and goes out to recess. He gets home at 3:30 and gets a snack then. I go in if there is a special snack or bday treats, etc. I also go on any field trips.
When school first started, we had him testing more often but saw his numbers were always high from lunch so we just cut those out.
He has an extra meter and low treatments both in the classroom and in the office. I have low treatments in his backpack too.
ALL the Kindy teachers, recess supervisors, and office staff are trained on spotting lows and how to treat. They also have a special thing for subs.
Next year will be a whole different scenario as he will go all day but I feel confident we will figure it out.
Anyhow, my suggestion would be to meet with the school nurse and see how that goes, she/he may actually have some great suggestions.
Good luck...you got this!
So in Texas, kindergarten is FULL DAY. Which seems like a lot for a any five year old, but it also adds in issues with lunch and TWO snacks. We are lucky that the nurse is there all day, every day. I think that's lucky. Right?
ReplyDeleteAnd as for this meeting I went to- it was put on by my son's VERY academic preschool (who does not even offer a kindergarten class), probably to assuage all of the super competitive parents' fears about academic readiness. The whole point was that independence and being able to manage their own needs was a much better thing to prepare for.
Which ended up being a bigger concern for me than the academic part. Awesome.
And it was taught by a kindergarten teacher in who worked as the lead at the school a mile away for over 8 years. She didn't have a reason to scare us out of public school- I think she was being very candid.
ReplyDeleteOkay so I will echo!! YOU can do this!! (now Ill tell you i would be just as scared) I cant even think about doing preschool next year with joshua. he will be fine to start at 3 right?? anyway I would just make sure to request meetings with everyone. also see if your CDE knows of any other parents who have gone through that school who could contact you with tips?
ReplyDeleteI have 2 years until The Bean goes to Kindergarten. That is, if I let her. For now I'm threatening to homeschool her. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteBeing a homeschooling mom, I cannot offer you advice, but I can offer you HUGS!!!!
ReplyDeleteI love the picture with the lightsaber!
Since Alex is only 3, I don't have a ton of advice but I know another Mom with a 7year old, who seems to have a good routine with regard to lunch. Her daughter goes to the nurse's office before lunch with a friend (always with a friend!) and gets tested. The nurse opens her lunch box, which contains a slip of paper listing each item of food and its carbs and then a total carb count for the lunch. The nurse then boluses for 1/2 the total lunch carbs. The little girl goes off to lunch and then after lunch she returns to the nurse's office. The nurse checks what she ate and then boluses to cover those carbs. I think it's a good routine. Hope this helps!
ReplyDelete