The past few weeks have brought a lot of emotions as we have navigated Kay starting kindergarten while also making sure her diabetes is being managed safely throughout the school day.
As a mom of a 5 year old with Type 1 diabetes, sending her off to school comes with a level of worry that is hard to explain. Kay is still very young, she does not consistently recognize or communicate when her blood sugar is dropping, and her blood sugar can change quickly, especially during activity. So while I know she is surrounded by people who care about her, I also know that having a solid plan in place matters.
After noticing several instances of lower blood sugars during the school day, particularly around P.E., I started asking questions about what could be done to better bridge the gaps between scheduled checks. My goal was never to criticize the people caring for Kay. I simply wanted to make sure we had additional safeguards in place for those moments when her blood sugar could change between checks.
After several conversations, we now have an updated plan moving forward.
In addition to her existing hourly glucose checks and using Activity Mode during P.E. (a setting on her insulin pump that temporarily reduces how aggressively it delivers insulin to help prevent her blood sugar from dropping during physical activity), Kay will have her blood sugar checked before P.E. and again midway through P.E. She will also be seated near staff during lunch when one of the adults who typically sits with her is not there. The teachers, specialists, and aides who work with her will also be familiarized with her medical alerts and the sounds associated with her pump’s low and high blood sugar alerts.
Most importantly for me, the plan is now being communicated in writing so everyone involved knows what is expected.
Is this the end of my worrying? Absolutely not. I don’t think the mom part of me is ever going to completely shut that off. But having a clearer plan in place gives me some peace of mind knowing that we have identified areas that needed additional attention and taken steps to address them.
Kindergarten is already a huge transition for Kay, and adding Type 1 diabetes, Down syndrome, hearing loss, and all of the other things that make her uniquely Kay means there are a lot of moving pieces. I am incredibly grateful for the people who are willing to listen, problem solve, and work with us to make sure she is safe and supported while she learns and grows.
For now, we are moving forward, continuing to communicate, and taking it one school day at a time.