Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Care for School Children with Diabetes law?

The N.C. General Assembly passed Senate Bill 911, the Care for School Children with Diabetes Act, on August 29, 2002. The law is designed to help children manage their diabetes while at school, where they spend such a large percentage of their time. The law called on the State Board of Education to adopt guidelines for the development and implementation of individual diabetes care plans for the care of children with diabetes in the state's public schools. The Board's guidelines must meet or exceed those set by the American Diabetes Association, which recommend in part that:

• School personnel be trained on the treatment of diabetes emergencies, including high and low blood sugar levels;
• An individualized diabetes health care plan (Diabetes Care Plan) be developed for each child with diabetes;
• Children be allowed to snack and monitor their blood sugar anywhere on school grounds, including in the classroom and on the school bus, and be given permission to use the restroom and have access to fluids whenever needed if designated in the care plan; and
• An adult and backup adult be trained to administer glucagon (sugar) in accordance with the Diabetes Care Plan.

Governor Easley signed the bill into law on September 5, 2002. The Board of Education adopted these guidelines at itstheir January 2003 meeting, and the yguidelines were had to be implemented in time for the start of the 2003-2004 school year.

How many public school children in North Carolina have diabetes?

According to the 2002-2003 NC Annual School Health Services Report for Public Schools, the reported number of children with diabetes in public schools is roughly 2,500. The number could be higher.

How are the parents involved in this process?

Through the law, parents can request that a Diabetes Care Planbe completed for their child. The Diabetes Care Planincludes student information, parent/guardian contact information, emergency contact and health care provider contact information. The Diabetes Care Planoutlines general symptoms and behaviors, specific to the student, which are signs of diabetes emergencies. It also identifies precise instructions for treatment during each type of emergency (hyperglycemia - high blood sugar levels and hypoglycemia - low blood sugar levels). Instructions for blood sugar monitoring, insulin administration, food and exercise specifications are also identified in the Diabetes Care Plan. The plan must be signed by the parent/guardian, reviewed and signed by the health care provider and approved by the school.

What is the Diabetes Awareness, Training and Action (DATA) program?

The Diabetes Awareness, Training and Action program trains Master Trainers who are then charged with 1) providing training to personnel in schools where children with diabetes are enrolled on how to recognize diabetes-related symptoms and emergencies, and 2) providing intensive training to two staff members per school that includes testing blood sugar level, and administering glucose and glucagon in an emergency. The training was developed by the Diabetes Care Center of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and was conducted by Certified Diabetes Educators.

How many schools have completed the training so far?

More than 1,300 of the state's 2,300 public and charter schools have completed the DATA training. Other schools may have chosen to use local resources to obtain their training. To find out if your child's school personnel members have completed their training, please contact the school.

What causes children to have diabetes?

There are many factors that can result in diabetes in children. Type 1 diabetes, previously known as Juvenile Diabetes, is due to a malfunction in the body's immune system. Why it occurs and how to prevent it remains relatively unknown to doctors and researchers. Obesity, however, has been identified as a major risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents has tripled in the last two decades. North Carolina has some of the highest prevalence rates of diabetes, obesity, and the lack of physical activity in the nation.

How do I learn more about this program?

If your child attends public school in North Carolina, contact the child's school for more information about the law and about developing an individual plan of care for the current school year. You can also get more information on the following websites: www.nchealthyschools.org and www.ncdiabetes.org.

How can I learn more about preventing diabetes?

New studies show that getting moderate physical activity and losing a little weight (about 5%) can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in people who are at high risk. To learn more about preventing type 2 diabetes, see the following website: http://www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/prev/prevention.htm.