Shouldn't supply teachers be filled in about a child's special need?

[Spidermama]

I'm angry but don;t know how to proceed. I'm crap at conftontation but I feel I need to say something.

DS has T1 diabetes which means he has to careful balance his insulin with his diet every day. He needs to do regular blood tests and act on the results.

This is why I went in to describe his needs to his new teacher at the juniors. They are quite complex.

Yesterday he came home and told me that he had had three different supply teachers so far this term and that he'd had a hypo (low blood sugar reguiring instant treatment to avoid insulin coma!!) and he told the supply teacher who said, 'What's a hypo?'.

Was it unreasonable of me to assume that they'd brief the supply teacher? I'd have been happy to brief her myself but they didn't bother to tell me that there would be a supply teacher.

I don't want to have a go at them but I really want to get through to them the importance of this. I just don't think they believe me as T1 diabetics don't appear to have special needs until they get ill, which they can do very suddenly and dramatically.

[Peachy]

At the alst school, they refused to brief any of the non- teaching permanent staff about DS1's HFA, said it was against their confidentiality rules- I went round to all the dinner ladies and told them myself, as they have sole care of the chidlren at lunchtime. It's ridiculous, esp. with something life threatening such as diabetes. I know you shouldn't have to do it, but could you do a letter for him to keep to apss on to new staff etc?

[Spidermama]

Yes Peacy I printed out the info for teachers leaflet from Diabetes UK and dh took it into school today (though they alredady should have a copy) but I just don't think they're taking it seriously enough to bother passing it on.

I can't trust DS to remember to hand over leaflets himself as he's only 7 and already tries to cover up his condition at school and does the bare minimum of controlling.

Perhaps it would be worth approaching the SENCO woman as she seemed to be the only one who had some idea of what the condition involves.

[Peachy]

Yes approach her

Something Sam did- he's also 7- the whole class amde 'passports' for Junior transfer with details about themselves, stuff including what illnesses etc they'd had and what routines etc get them through the day- so most kids would have 'I had chickenpox and I like watching TV when I get home'- whereas the SENCO worked with Sam to create something altogether mor comprehensive. They were all sent to the Juniors, but Sam's has been framed and is on the staff room wall, so all the staff members see it when they come in of a morning- stuff ike please don't tpuch me as it hurts, and I hate too much noise.

[Spidermama]

Ahhhh! That's great.
Yes DS's infants school was really good like this and they had a leaflet up in the staff room with a picture of DS attached to it.

It was great because I felt everyone knew and had a quick reference in case something were to happen.

I think I'll make a picture about hypos and how to spot and treat them and put a picture of DS on it. Then I'll ask them to put it in the staff room.

Phew! I feel better now I have a game plan. Thanks Peachy. This is my first post on the SN boards although I have hovered.

[Blandmum]

We have pictures of our children who have diabetes on the staff room wall (with parental consent ob) This is in a secondary school .

It also gives details of the treatmenst that they need if they have a hypo (which vary from child to child slightly)

[Spidermama]

It's a really good idea. I will certainly do it but I hope the school instigate it if it comes up again with another child.

[Blandmum]

The bigger the school the more important it is I would have thought.

I teach about 150 kids a year. But we have 1300 in the school and you simply can't know them all. So if I saw someone who'd collaped it would be vital for me to know if they were one of the few dabetic children that we have in the school. Without the info on the wall, I couldn't be sure of knowing it.

Also key to get them to update the photo! the little beggers change so much over 7 years!

[Peachy]

H yes LOL- Sam spent the first few eyars at school ebing id'd as 'curly', then dh cut his hair right down (sam can't manage it himself and hates it being washed so we gave in, was getting horrid) and the pics look nothing like him at all!

Fortunately we have ne of those surnames that gets remembered, that helps somewhat

[Sidge]

Another thing might be to ask your diabetic specialist nurse if s/he can come into school to do a "training session" for the staff - including supply staff.

If s/he can't then the school nurse should do - that often reinforces to school staff that diabetes is a serious condition and needs understanding.