Diabetes

In general, learners and staff with diabetes will manage their condition successfully and it will have little impact on their education as a whole, either in science and technology or elsewhere in the school.

One thing to watch out for is the possibility of dangerous low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) episodes, which can impair concentration and motor skills and even lead to loss of consciousness.* When hazardous chemicals or equipment are being used, this poses an additional risk.

* The major problem is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) as the symptoms here can develop much more rapidling than high blood sugar (hyperglycemia).

Safety Considerations

Standard laboratory/workshop safety protocols must be reviewed and enhanced to address the specific needs of pupils with diabetes

Some actions that can be taken in a laboratory or workshop might include:

• Ensure access to supplies: Confirm the pupil has all necessary diabetes supplies in the lab, including their glucose monitor, testing strips, insulin (if needed), and fast-acting carbohydrates to treat a hypo. For younger students, a teacher or support staff member may be responsible for keeping these items.
• Train staff:  Members of staff teaching learners with diabetes should receive some training in diabetes management, including recognizing the signs of hypo- and hyper-glycemia and how to respond. General diabetes awareness training for all staff is also beneficial.
• Check they are feeling well: At the start of the lesson, have a quiet check-in with the learner to ensure they are feeling well and that their blood glucose is stable.
• Allow access to food and water: The learner must be allowed to have a drink and fast-acting carbs with them to manage blood sugar levels, especially during a "hypo". This should be allowed in the lab/workshop, despite this not being the normal situation in such an environment.
• Allow supervised breaks: The learner should be allowed to take a supervised rest break to treat a hypo. If their blood glucose levels are low, cognitive function may be impaired for up to 45 minutes, so they should not return to lab work until they have recovered.
• Respect privacy: Be mindful of the learner’s privacy and dignity. Allow them a discrete area to test their blood glucose or deliver insulin. Never draw attention to their condition in front of others. It is a good idea to agree on a nonverbal signal the pupil can use to discretely communicate that they need to check their blood sugar or take a break without disrupting the class.
• Adapt experiments: While the learner should participate as fully as possible, be ready to make reasonable adjustments. For example, if a specific technique requires exceptional fine motor skills that are temporarily impaired by low blood sugar, an adaptation might be necessary.
• Glucose monitors and Insulin Pumps - many people with diabetes nowadays use these high tech devices. They are generally not problematic at all but a couple of issues can arise:
  • Most glucose monitors require a mobile phone to check the levels. Staff should be made aware of this, especially if there are restrictions on phones in the school.
  • Like most electronic devices, there is a risk from high electromagnetic fields. Learners (or others) using these should keep a safe distance from devices such as Ven de Graaf generators.

Advice about diabetes more generally can be found here:

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/living-with-diabetes/life-with-diabetes/children-and-diabetes/schools/school-staff