Back to School with Type 1 Diabetes

Fill out your 504 plan with help from your school representative and your diabetes care team. A 504 plan sets actions a school must take to assure the student with Type 1 is safe, has the same access to education and resources, and is treated fairly. The 504 plan also includes information about Type 1 diabetes. Click here to download the 504 plan. Click here to download the form in Spanish.
Discuss specific care of your child with the teachers, school nurse and other staff who will be involved.
Make sure your child understands the details of who will help them with testing, shots, and treatment of high or low blood sugars at school and where supplies will be kept. Supplies should be kept in a place where your child can access them whenever needed.
Keep current phone numbers of where you can be reached. Collect equipment for school: meter, strips and finger-poker, lancets, insulin, insulin syringes, biohazard container, logbook or a copy of testing record form (make arrangements to have blood sugars sent home routinely), extra insulin pump supplies, extra CGM supplies, ketone testing strips, and a photo for substitute teacher’s folder.
Food and drinks; make sure to check intermittently to make sure supplies are still well stocked. Be sure to include:

A box with the child’s name to store these above food and drink items.
Going back to school can be overwhelming for all students so be sure to talk to your student about things other than Type 1 (they are more than just their disease)! When they get home from school, try to have the first thing you ask them about be something not related to Type 1 and then circle back. Remember Type 1’s can do anything their peers can do, they just need a few additional pokes and snacks!