For most children, getting ready for school means eating
breakfast, filling a backpack and making sure the homework is done.
For about 30 diabetic children in diocesan schools, they do the
same things but with added pressure — trying to maintain their blood sugar level.
It means a host of supplies, snacks, constant blood testing and awareness.
When parents send their children with diabetes to school, it can
be nerve-wracking. Christa Doherty, a nurse at St. Louis School in Alexandria,
knows the concerns of parents firsthand because her daughter has diabetes and
attends St. Mary School in Alexandria.
“If we were in a different school, her care would look
different,” said Doherty. “I’m grateful the schools have been open to the care
of the students. It’s difficult if you don’t know something could happen.”
Doherty said it is a relief knowing her child is being cared for,
so she can care for the students at her job.
The biggest challenge, according to Amber Dise, coordinator of diocesan
school health, is communication. “You have to be a good communicator because
you have to communicate with the health care providers and parents, but nurses also
might be the primary educator for that student in tracking trends and reporting
it to the physicians and parents,” she said. “Nurses have to be pretty well
rounded in communication.”
That communication starts in the beginning of the school year
with paperwork from doctors and meeting with parents to identify the specific
needs of each student with diabetes, knowing blood sugar numbers can change throughout
the day.
Doherty said depending on the child’s maturity level, some
students oversee their own care. “We’re here to moderate the situation,” she
said. “The younger students come to the office for their medication. All the
students wear a glucose monitor, which makes it easier to track.”
Activities such as a field trip or school party can pose
challenges for these students.
Angela Koucheravy, a nurse at St. Bernadette School in
Springfield, said she tries to help students with their decisions for treats
such as ice cream.
“Rather than us dictate it, show the child what they can choose
within the constraint of the carb counts so the student feels in control,” said
Koucheravy. “As a nurse I try to steer them to healthier foods to include in
their diet.”
Bernadette Berset, a nurse at Bishop O’Connell High School in
Arlington, tries to prepare the diabetic students for life in college and
beyond. “I have four years from the time they come to school to make them as
independent and help them become the biggest advocate they can be for
themselves,” she said.