Diabetes and Carbohydrate Counting Made Easy For School Personnel

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Diabetes and Carbohydrate Counting Made Easy For
School Personnel!

• BELLAMY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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What is Diabetes?

• Diabetes is a condition resulting from a failure
  of the pancreatic gland to function properly.
• Insulin is not always produced and a person can
  not live without insulin.
• Type 1 (childhood or juvenile-onset) the
  pancreatic gland has stopped producing insulin
  and a daily doses of insulin injections are
  necessary in conjunction with a balanced diet and
  exercise.
• Type 2 (adult-onset) Most often can be
  controlled with diet and medication by mouth.
• It is NOT an infectious disease.

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What is Insulin?

• Insulin is a hormone produced in cells located in
  the pancreas.
• Insulin enables sugar in the blood to enter the
  bodys cells to provide energy.
• Most diabetic children take several insulin
  injections daily or may have an insulin pump
  (pancreas on a belt) because their body does not
  produce insulin.
• Exercise and illness can also affect the childs
  treatment.

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Diabetes Law

• Senate Bill 911, the Care for School Children
  with Diabetes Act
• Individualized Diabetes Care Plan
• School personnel trained in treatment of diabetes
  and hypoglycemia
• Children allowed to monitor blood sugar anywhere
  in the school or during any school activity
• Children allowed to eat a snack anywhere,
  including classroom and school bus, to prevent or
  treat hypoglycemia
• Children allowed to use restroom and have access
  to fluids as necessary

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Blood Sugar Monitoring

• The information you get from checking a childs
  blood sugar helps to create the best and safest
  diabetes management plan for that child.
• There is no such thing as a BAD blood sugar, any
  result is GOOD information.
• Blood sugar levels always vary. From person to
  person and time to time.
• The results let you know when and how to react to
  different situations.

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Types of Insulin Administration

• Syringes
• Insulin Pens
• Insulin Pump

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HYPOGLYCEMIA (Low Blood Sugar)

• Causes Too little food, too much insulin, extra
  exercise
• Onset Sudden, may progress to insulin shock
• Blood Sugar Below 70mg/dL. Normal Range 70-115
  mg/dL.

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HYPERGLYCEMIA (High Blood Sugar)

• Causes Too much food, too little insulin,
  illness or stress
• Onset Gradual, may progress to diabetic coma
• Blood Sugar Above 200 mg/dL. Acceptable range
  115-200.

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Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

• Caused by high blood sugar if untreated over a
  period of time.
• Results from grossly deficient insulin
  availability, usually precipitated by a lapse in
  insulin treatment or by an acute infection or
  trauma that makes usual insulin treatment
  inadequate.
• Monitoring blood sugar is essential to prevent
  ketoacidosis.

• Initial Symptoms
• Frequent urination
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• High level of keytones in urine and blood
• Abdominal pain
• Treatment
• Extra fluids to replace fluid volume
• DKA can be life-threatening
• IV fluids and hospital admission may be necessary

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Carbohydrate Counting

• Carbohydrate foods are those foods that are
  broken down into sugar in the body.
• Add up total number of carbs child ate at
  breakfast, snack, lunch, or dinner
• Treat with insulin based on ratio
• Example 1 unit of insulin/ 15 carbs
• Ate 75 carbs 5 units of insulin
• School nurse has a copy of the carbohydrates for
  the food served in the cafeteria

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10 Tips For Teachers

• Every CHILD living with Diabetes is different.
• Dont draw unnecessary attention to students
  condition.
• Provide inconspicuous and gentle reminders.
• Do not put a label on the student living with
  diabetes.
• Do not sympathize Empathize.
• Always be prepared.
• Use the buddy system.
• Allow unrestricted bathroom breaks.
• Be patient.
• Keep the lines of communication open.