This Mom Wants to Warn Everyone About the Importance of a "Diabetes Box"
Back-to-school prep usually entails new school supplies and a first day outfit, but for some children a little more preparation is needed to make sure that they are safe and healthy when the new year rolls around. Example: Leah Rowe, a fifth graded with Type 1 diabetes.
Leah's mom Lauren is getting some serious recognition for a picture she posted to Facebook of Leah's "diabetes box," or a "low box" as it is sometimes called, that includes everything her daughter needs if her blood sugar goes out of whack during the school day.
"I put one in every classroom she goes to. It's great for substitutes," the Florida mom explains in a Facebook post that has since been shared over 39,000 times. "It has glucose tabs and snacks for high and low blood sugar. And the Nurse's Box with the Glucagon pen is clearly marked."
The front of the kit also features a clear picture of Leah along with explicit instructions of what she need through out the day along with signs of both high and low blood sugar.
The American Diabetes Association suggests that parents meet with their child's medical provider and then their teachers and school nurses to determine any diabetes regimen as well as a plan for emergencies. They also recommend providing instructions for all of the adults who will be responsible for your child throughout the day, including bus drivers, coaches and other teachers in the school, and sending your child to school along with a "low box."
According to Beyond Type 1, each kit should have:
Concise instructions for how to test and treat low blood sugar
Description of your child's symptoms
Instructions for when to call for extra help
Juice boxes
Glucose tablets
Snacks like granola bars or crackers
Extra vial of test strips and batteries for meters and pumps as needed
Emergency glucagon kits as needed
As well as making sure to give your child's nurses office:
Insulin
Syringes, lancets and extra test strips
Infusion sets and supplies for insertion, like alcohol pads and adhesion wipes
Glucagon kit for emergency use
What's really great is that Lauren's idea can also be used for other conditions as well.
[h/t: Scary Mommy]
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