As the parent of a child with type 1 diabetes, you know that sending your child off to school can be nerve-wracking. After all, you’re probably used to tracking your child’s blood glucose levels and working with them when the numbers get too high or too low. When your child is at school, you have to trust other people to do these tasks.

There’s no doubt that parenting a child with type 1 diabetes can lead to stress and anxiety. Here’s what you need to know to start a new school year in a way that makes you feel confident that your child will succeed and be well cared for.

1. Understand Your Child’s Rights

Under federal law in the United States, your child has the right to be included in all school day activities and receive the diabetes care they need. This means that the school should have people on staff who are trained to help monitor glucose levels, calculate insulin dosing, and administer insulin or glucagon as needed. It also means that trained staff members should be available to go on field trips and help if your child wants to participate in sports and other activities.

2. Put a New Diabetes Management Plan in Place

Make sure you have a diabetes management care plan in place when your child returns to school each year. This may change as your child’s body changes. The plan can also be adjusted when your child is older and able to manage more of their own care. Consult with your child’s pediatric team to set up this plan.

In general, a diabetes management plan should include:

• A strategy for monitoring glucose levels, including the monitoring method
• Instructions about when and how to administer insulin or glucagon
• Important phone numbers, including yours and a health care provider’s
• Directions about when the school needs to contact you

3. Talk to All Relevant School Personnel

Cooperative, respectful communication between parents and school staff can go a long way toward your child’s care. If possible, meet face-to-face with anyone on the school staff who will be part of your child’s diabetes care team. At the very least, this should include one adult who’s trained to help your child check and monitor their glucose. It’s good to train a backup, too, in case the first person is absent. Consider these caregivers to be part of your child’s health care team.

You may also want to speak with your child’s teacher, school administrators, and other adults who:

• Drive your child’s school bus
• Work in or monitor the lunchroom
• Coach sports
• Oversee physical activity or teach physical education
• Lead after-school programs
• Supervise the playground

If leaders at your child’s school seem overwhelmed or unsure about working with type 1 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association has resources for them. Although you can tell them what they need to know about type 1 diabetes, it’s their responsibility to understand the condition and help your child stay safe and healthy at school.

4. Arrange To Check in With Your Child’s Teacher

Make sure your child’s teacher knows exactly what you expect from them. In some cases, it may be their job to help your child check their blood sugar levels or use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). In others, it might be better if they send your child to the nurse at regular times of the day to take these steps in private. Also, you might want to let the teacher know how your child feels about their condition and how emotional reactions should be handled. Your child will have a better year if these expectations are communicated clearly from the start.

5. Keep School Phone Numbers Close

Program the school’s numbers into your smartphone so you’ll always recognize their calls. That way, if they have questions about your child’s blood sugar, you’ll be sure to answer them. You can use special ringtones so you’re even less likely to miss an important call.

6. Make a Plan for Lunch at School

Lunchtime can be especially difficult for children with type 1 diabetes who are transitioning back to school. Make sure you have a meal plan in place. Run through it with your child multiple times so they know what to do. The meal plan may include testing blood sugar levels, planning lunches that your child likes, and ensuring your child has access to any insulin they may need. If your child needs help counting carbohydrates, let them know who to enlist for help.

7. Develop an Emergency Plan

In addition to their everyday diabetes management plan, make sure your child has an emergency plan in place. Because hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can happen anytime, this plan should focus on knowing the signs and handling that situation, like offering a fast-acting snack and glucagon stored in the emergency kit. You can add instructions for other possible diabetes-related emergencies too. Make sure you include emergency contact numbers, especially if they differ from your regular contact information. Teach your child to advocate for themselves and speak up if they’re not feeling well. Let them know who they can reach out to in case of an emergency.

Without a plan, emergencies can cause panic. One member of myT1Dteam said, “I had low glucose in school and freaked out my teacher, school nurse, and principal.”

8. Keep Diabetes Supplies at the School

Most of the time, you’ll need to give the school the supplies your child needs. These may include syringes, pump supplies, insulin, glucagon, and more. Whenever you drop these off, take time to connect with the school nurse and even review your child’s diabetes plan.

This also gives you a chance to have input about where your child’s supplies will be stored. Ideally, your child should have some in the classroom, in the nurse’s office, and in other locations where they’ll spend time regularly. You may want your child to be able to carry supplies in their backpack.

Whenever possible, the supplies your child uses at school should be identical to those at home. That way, they’ll feel more comfortable receiving diabetes care at school, and older children who do more self-management will be more confident using the supplies at their disposal.

9. Consider a 504 or an Individualized Education Program

If the school pushes back when you ask for diabetes care for your child’s health, request an individualized education program (IEP) or a Section 504 plan. The law requires the process to begin at your request. A health care professional may be able to help you know what to ask for.

A 504 plan can help your child access the care they need while participating normally in school. This plan can help allow your child to:

• Have regular breaks to test blood sugar
• Eat snacks as needed, instead of only at designated times
• Carry a smartphone connected to a CGM or an insulin pump
• Receive specific provisions for field trips and other school activities
• Be allowed extra sick days or get access to remote learning options

If your child has missed school because of type 1 diabetes or is behind, an IEP can give them access to the resources they need to catch up.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On myT1Dteam, the social network for people with type 1 diabetes and their loved ones, more than 2,700 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with type 1 diabetes.

Are you sending your child with type 1 diabetes off to school for the first time? Have you been in this situation before and have more tips to offer? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.