Parent Responsibilities

• Tell the school principal that your child has diabetes when he/she enrolls in school or is newly diagnosed with the disease.
• Contact your child's doctor and request that a Diabetes Care Plan be developed. The plan includes contact information for the student, parent/guardian, and doctor and outlines general symptoms and behaviors, specific to the student, which are signs of diabetes emergencies. It also identifies precise instructions for routine diabetes care that is needed at school as well as emergency treatment. The doctor will sign the plan and forward it to the school.
• If your child does not have a doctor or you need help in contacting the doctor, fill out a Parental Request for Individual Diabetes Care Plan and give to the school principal. A physician's signature is not required on the request.
• Give current emergency contact information (including numbers for home, work, cell, pager, etc.) to the school.
• Work with your child's doctor and school nurse to complete a Quick Reference Emergency Plan. This form contains contact information and briefly outlines treatment for the student with diabetes who develops low or high blood sugar. Copies of the plan should be given to all relevant school staff. The form does not require a doctor's signature but should be in accordance with the Diabetes Care Plan.
• Give the Diabetes Care Plan, which has been signed by your child's doctor, to the principal or school nurse if it has not been forwarded by the doctor.
• Until a Diabetes Care Plan is in place, you or 911 may be called for any emergency for your child.
• Participate in the meetings at school to talk about your child's Diabetes Care Plan and Quick Reference Emergency Plan, and to review medical changes and educational aids your child may need.
• Give specific information about your child's diabetes and performance of diabetes-related tasks at home to the school nurse or principal. This should include information about your child's meal/snack schedule. For young children, instructions should be given for when food is provided during school parties and other activities.
• Give permission for your child's medical information to be shared between the school and his/her doctor by completing and signing an informed consent or confidentiality release form. You may request this form from the child's doctor or the school nurse.
• Give permission for your child's medical information to be shared between the school and his/her doctor by completing and signing an informed consent or confidentiality release form. You may request this form from the child's doctor or the school nurse.
• Provide all supplies and equipment necessary for implementing your child's Diabetes Care Plan, 504 Plan, Individual Education Plan (IEP) or other education plan. This includes blood glucose monitoring equipment, supplies for insulin administration and urine ketone testing, snacks, fast-acting glucose (sugar) source, and a glucagon emergency kit (if indicated in the Diabetes Care Plan). Also provide materials necessary to ensure proper disposal of equipment (i.e., needles, lancets, etc.).
• Provide and maintain all supplies and equipment necessary to care for your child's long-term needs (72 hours) in case of an emergency.
• Be sure that your child wears some form of medical alert identification (bracelet, wallet card, etc.) at all times.
• Tell school staff (principal, teachers, coaches, bus drivers and others) when your child plans to participate in school-sponsored activities that take place before or after school so that health care coverage can be coordinated.
• Understand the federal, state and local laws that address the school's responsibilities to students with diabetes.
• Remember that a new Diabetes Care Plan should be developed each year.