Teacher living with type 1 diabetes

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 13 months old. As a result, I feel as though I have been an educator since I was very young. Showing others my medical supplies and telling them what I knew about my diabetes. I remember being about 10 years old when I was in a meeting with my parents and school staff to show them my new insulin and other medicines and devices that I needed. We did not have any resources to support us, so we went to school with each medicine and demonstrated the use or effect of each. In this way, we could communicate my “care plan” to the school to the best of our ability.

The KIDS programmes provides comprehensive resources to support staff, parents, students with diabetes and other students to understand and discuss the condition. The “diabetes management plan” and lists of responsibility would have been a very useful resource to both staff and my family during the meeting mentioned above. It would have ensured that all information was conveyed correctly, kept on record while I was at school, and everyone would have known their responsibilities in looking after my diabetes (including me!).

Throughout teacher training we never received explicit instruction regarding diabetes and therefore many teachers only learn about the condition when a child with diabetes enters their class. KIDS educational resources allow teachers to educate themselves about type 1 and type 2 diabetes regardless of whether they have a student with the condition.

The programme also provides teachers with a range of child-friendly resources, such as comics and worksheets, to use when teaching about diabetes in the classroom. These can easily be incorporated with any healthy eating initiative run by a school, to explore the benefits of healthy eating for our bodies and lifestyle. They also explore some of the common misconceptions around diabetes and how diabetes can impact on the daily life of a person affected. KiDS allows all children to gain a greater awareness of diabetes and be more understanding towards others as a result.

The programme also provides a number of information leaflets and resources for both parents of a child living with diabetes and parents of children who do not have diabetes. If KIDS is adapted as part of a whole school approach, these resources can help to educate parents about diabetes. They can then discuss what the child is learning at home, further fostering the home-school link. These resources are also greatly helpful when you have a child with diabetes in your class, as the parents of other children need to be able to understand diabetes in order to include the child in activities outside of school.

Overall, I think that the KIDS programme is invaluable to both school staff and families in raising awareness about diabetes and supporting children living with the condition. It empowers children to be more open about their condition with their peers and gives both staff and parents comfort in knowing that the child will be appropriately supported during the school day. I look forward to seeing the programme implemented in as many schools as possible.

I’ve lived with diabetes for almost 18 years since I was 7. At first, like most kids living with type 1 diabetes, it was a challenge to learn about this condition, not just for me but for the people around me.

Over the years, with the help of my parents, an endocrinologist and the diabetes organisation in my country, Fundación Diabetes Juvenil del Ecuador (FDJE), I learned more about my condition and how to explain it and teach others, with or without T1D.

When I was in school, most, if not all, of the people around me knew nothing about diabetes, my teachers, classmates, and the school authorities. They treated the condition as a sickness that only older people get or people who eat too much sugar. This misperception is a common problem in the country because of a lack of diabetes education.

So, I decided to teach and explain my condition to my school environment as often as needed. Then, of course, I could have reached out to my parents and teachers for help to explain diabetes, but I chose to go it alone. Nevertheless, this experience would later help me advocate for young people with diabetes, aiming to reach people in my city, Quito, and Ecuador.

IDF President Andrew Boulton presents the programme and how it aims to create a supportive environment for children living with diabetes and promote healthy habits from a young age.

President, Polish Diabetes Association

In 2017, Poland became the first country in Europe to pilot the implementation of the KiDS programme, in the Podkarpackie region. This region was chosen because of its high rates of overweight and obesity in children. The implementation was coordinated by Rzeszów University and Sanofi, and supported by many local partners. The KiDS programme has been subsequently implemented in the Podlasie and Pomerania regions, coordinated by the local affiliates of the Polish Diabetes Association (PDA) with the support of Sanofi.

The implementation in Pomerania has been the most successful. Led by Ewa Dygaszewicz, President of the PDA Pomerania branch, the initiative was supported by the regional government and other local partners, and received the patronage of the National Health Fund and the medical association Diabetes Poland. Covid-19 forced the programme to be implemented virtually, but this resulted in twenty times more children being reached compared to the previous onsite implementation. A total of 650 teachers from 104 schools participated in the online training and almost 40,000 children were engaged.

The training included an educational video, developed by the PDA Pomerania branch, that teachers were encouraged to use to conduct KiDS lessons. The film features Ewa Dygaszewicz, who lives with diabetes and is a diabetes educator and dietitian, and presents the key messages of the KiDS project, including healthy lifestyle tips to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and an interactive quiz to engage students.

Psychopedagogue, diabetes educator and guidance counselor

I have been directly involved with type 1 diabetes since my daughter’s diagnosis nine years ago. She has never had any issues resulting from her condition in the school environment, both public and private.

However, I am aware that some children with diabetes in my community have been prohibited to bring their blood glucose monitoring equipment to school because school staff were concerned about the needles on the lancets.

As a diabetes educator, I realised that general awareness of type 1 diabetes was limited and that the condition was often confused with type 2 diabetes. I therefore decided to act and started organising conversation circles on type 1 diabetes for teachers and school staff. The KiDS programme resources were an important part of these initiatives.

I then set up an Instagram channel - “Doce infância tipo 1” (Sweet type 1 childhood) - which offers support to students living with diabetes. Nobody should have to choose between taking care of their diabetes or going to school. Information saves lives!

Certified Diabetes Educator and nutritionist, living with type 1 diabetes

In Mexico, children living with diabetes face discrimination and lack of support in schools. Few teachers are aware of their needs, which require the attention of school staff during school hours.

Before the start of the school year or as soon as a child is diagnosed, teachers and school administrators should be open to receiving the information usually provided by parents and medical staff about each child living with diabetes in their school. They should also be proactive in requesting all the information they need to support and ensure the active engagement and participation of children with diabetes in classroom activities. This includes learning how to perform a blood glucose test with a glucometer and/or allowing the child with diabetes to check their blood glucose whenever they need to.

This is important in order to enable the child with diabetes to manage their condition in school without fear of being judged, and to give them the confidence to ask for help when they need it. For example, to inject insulin when their blood glucose is high, eat or drink a sugary food when their blood glucose is low, or go to the bathroom during class. These are denied to children with diabetes in many schools.

Ignorance of diabetes results in some schools refusing to admit children with diabetes or expelling them when they are diagnosed. Diabetes education, as provided by the KiDS programme, can help parents, diabetes associations, health professionals, teachers and school staff to tackle and prevent diabetes-related stigma and discrimination. KiDS is a great tool to support existing efforts by the Mexican Diabetes Association and other diabetes advocacy organizations in the country to bring diabetes education into schools.

Dr Jackie Maalouf, President of DiaLeb

NCD Surveillance Coordinator, Ministry of Health Brazil

Type 2 diabetes and obesity have increased substantially over the last decade, affecting more and more children and youth each year. Governments need to address this problem by targeting the environment where they spend most of their times: school.

School plays a key role in the development of infants and teens by contributing to their behaviours and beliefs. Thus, a programme for students focused on promoting healthy lifestyles and the prevention of type 2 diabetes and obesity is necessary. The KiDS Programme represents a successful model of diabetes education and prevention which could be easily replicated around the world.

Paediatric endocrinologist - CHU Sylanus Olympio 

As a paediatrician caring for children living with diabetes in Togo, I was very impressed when I discovered the Kids and Diabetes in School (KiDS) programme. 

Today, many people in my community are still surprised to learn that children can be diagnosed with diabetes, and especially that children with type 1 diabetes need insulin every day.  

School is where children learn quickly and retain what they learn throughout their lives. If children learn about type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes and the difference at school, it will help promote better care for children with type 1 diabetes whose parents have difficulty accepting their lifelong insulin treatment. We need more awareness-raising about diabetes in children, and the KiDS programme promotes a safe and supportive school environment for children with diabetes. 

After a type 1 diabetes diagnosis and starting treatment, returning to school creates an additional stress factor for parents and children. Parents face the challenge of informing the school administration about their child’s condition and how to manage it during school hours. KiDS provides the necessary guidance for teachers unprepared to have a child with diabetes in their class. Likewise, children with diabetes would prosper more without the misconceptions and stigma they face in school. Teachers and classmates would understand their condition and help them achieve a better school-life balance. 

KiDS should be implemented in all schools for early diabetes education and to promote healthy lifestyles towards a diabetes-free future. 

Diabetes advocate and YLD South-east Asia (SEA) Rep-elect

I believe that schools in the Maldives need to be more aware of diabetes management to better accompany pupils with the condition. A lot of children report discrimination and bullying at school, even hiding their condition to join in games and physical education.  

To counter this situation, the Diabetes Society of the Maldives, the Ministry of Education and other public health sector organisations collaborate to raise awareness and fight stigma in schools and universities. One collaboration between the Diabetes Society of the Maldives, UNICEF and the Health Protection Agency was a training session for school health officers on preventing and managing type 1 diabetes. In addition, several diabetes awareness sessions and living with diabetes sessions have been held across the Maldives.  

Diabetes educational initiatives can help children learn about diabetes, understand that people with diabetes can live regular lives and know the signs of diabetes for early detection.  

To tackle diabetes stigma and promote healthy lifestyles, the government should incorporate more suitable modules and health-related issues into the education system and curriculum. These modules should educate and encourage students to value their health and participate in physical activities. 

Biochemist and diabetes educator, Member of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN).

While doing research for my thesis, I came across the alarming data on diabetes and decided to do something about it. I started by raising awareness through social media.

In May 2019, a relative experienced a serious episode of hyperglycaemia from undiagnosed diabetes. I became his caretaker as I was the most qualified to do so. This brought the reality of diabetes much closer to home and led me to do more to improve awareness of the condition in my community.

Attempts to implement an awareness campaign on my university campus were unsuccessful due to lack of funding and COVID-19, so I decided on a guerrilla approach and organised talks using KiDS resources in secondary schools in Lagos and Abuja, which are ongoing. I love bringing diabetes awareness to my community and country. It is exciting and fulfilling to see school-aged children receive the information with enthusiasm.

KiDS is a wonderful programme with simple and comprehensive materials for children, teachers, and parents.

Phyllisa Deroze welcomes two IDF Young Leaders in Diabetes for a conversation on the challenges that children and adolescents living with diabetes can face in the school environment and what can be done to overcome them.

KiDS Brazil coordinator Jaqueline Alves describes who the project targets and how it helps to ensure that children with diabetes are not excluded from school activities.

Diabetes Nurse Practitioner Candidate
Preventative and Integrated Care Service (PICS) 

The IDF Kids Project is a much-needed and valuable resource that can be used internationally. Australia is a multicultural society where English is often a second language for young people diagnosed and living with diabetes. As a country, we also face increasing childhood obesity and genetic risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes and MODY.  

The multilingual resources, their accessible voice and tone aimed at young people and families, and consistency and quality of messaging provide a valuable strategy towards battling diabetes: education.  

I am a great supporter of this programme and look forward to its expansion and ongoing success. 

I feel that there needs to be more awareness about diabetes among students and school staff in Maldives. Even the health teachers in schools should have more diabetes awareness training.  Diabetes educational initiatives can further basic knowledge about diabetes. 

One initiative to bring diabetes education to schools is led by the Diabetes Society of Maldives who organise screening and awareness sessions to fight stigma and promote healthy lifestyles.   

Additionally, the government of Maldives should increase diabetes information sessions and activities in schools to fight diabetes-related stigma and promote healthy lifestyles.  

Diabetes awareness is absent in the Indian health education curriculum, which leads to inadequate teacher training, societal stigma and misconceptions. Allocating more resources and proactive policy measures can fill the gap in understanding and addressing diabetes among students and educators.  

In India, no initiative is at the government or healthcare level. Still, different NGOs all over India are tackling this by bringing diabetes education to schools with awareness-raising sessions for children and staff.  

Implementing diabetes educational initiatives in schools can lead to early detection of the condition and empower students to make informed lifestyle choices. It can also help reduce societal stigma within the school environment to improve diabetes management and foster a healthier overall atmosphere. A broader understanding of diabetes can be achieved by engaging parents and extending programmes to the community. Additionally, successful efforts may influence policy development, promoting comprehensive health education in schools and creating a generation with life-long skills for managing and preventing diabetes.  

Governments play a crucial role in integrating diabetes education into curricula, implementing teacher training programmes, and allocating resources for educational materials and workshops. Policies mandating diabetes education, fostering community partnerships, and incentivising healthy lifestyles are critical. Digital education platforms can provide engaging content, while public awareness campaigns can dispel diabetes-related stigma. Furthermore, research and monitoring mechanisms can ensure the effectiveness of these initiatives, creating a more inclusive and informed educational environment for optimal health outcomes.  

Diabetes advocate and YLD Western Pacific Rep

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 8.  

When I was at school, the nurses did not understand how to manage diabetes. They would sometimes panic when my blood sugar was a little high. I often felt uncomfortable when I had low blood sugar in class. Classmates would watch me when I needed to get food out. Just the sound of taking a snack made me uncomfortable.  I also did not want people to see me take insulin or check my blood glucose, so I sometimes skipped injections or did not test my blood sugar.  

Sometimes, people would ask strange questions about my condition or be surprised to learn that a child could have diabetes. I believe these reactions came from a lack of diabetes awareness. However, I was lucky not to experience diabetes-related discrimination or stigma at school. Nonetheless, I wish that teachers and nurses in schools had known more about diabetes and its management so I would not have had to inform them as a child.

Teacher living with type 1 diabetes and IDF Young Leader in Diabetes

Diabetes is not a topic broadly talked about in schools, unless one of the students has it. Most teachers have only heard the name in passing and wouldn’t really know what to do if they met someone with the condition. The same goes for most students; they have some knowledge of type 2 diabetes because one of their grandparents has it but they don’t imagine one of their classmates could have diabetes as well.

Most schools I know don’t go out of their way to train teachers to deal with students with diabetes, unless an organisation offers to do so. Even then, many schools decline the opportunity. The reality is that unless a teacher takes the time to learn about diabetes, there is usually not enough information given to school staff.

This is a shame because schools are great places to provide information about diabetes. One example would be promoting a healthy lifestyle to prevent type 2 diabetes later in life. Many schools already have healthy diet programmes so all that would be necessary is to explain the connection between diet and type 2 diabetes. This also applies to physical activity, something already done in all schools in Argentina.

School environments can often be very challenging for students with type 1 diabetes. Lack of knowledge about the condition causes a range of problem situations that could be avoided if teachers and other staff had better access to quality training and information. Many students with diabetes are not allowed to check their blood glucose, drink something in the case of a hypo or use insulin inside the classroom. Many are also bullied and mocked by other students.

Children with diabetes need to feel safe and comfortable with their condition so they can take good care of themselves. This is not possible if they spend most of their day under the care of people who are not properly equipped to help and assist them. Most teachers are probably willing to help but schools need to give them the tools to do so.

For all these reasons, I think governments should adapt diabetes care and awareness programmes to the national school curriculum. A project like KiDS is a great tool for teachers to learn and help children with diabetes to be open about their condition. In schools where no one has diabetes, the information provided by KiDS would help school staff to welcome a new student with diabetes with open arms. Parents and families would also be more confident dropping off their children at school, knowing that steps were taken to ensure their safety.

IDF Blue Circle Voice, living with type 1 diabetes

The diagnosis of a life-long condition such as diabetes has a major impact on the emotional health of people affected. Daily activities are interrupted by a series of precautions that, although we can learn to turn them into routines and habits, can be overwhelming at first.

Living with diabetes of any type requires children to take responsibility for their own care at a young age. In school, it requires a number of activities - such as finger-pricking or injecting insulin – that often surprise or even frighten other children.

Diabetes education is key to self-care, quality of life and emotional health. Children spend a large part of their day at school where their participation, safety and inclusion must be ensured. Children with diabetes quickly learn to become independent in managing their condition. This becomes much easier in an environment that supports and understands diabetes. Teachers should help other students understand the condition so that the child affected feels included and accepted.

The KiDS programme provides education to raise awareness and help identify the signs and symptoms of diabetes and therefore can be instrumental in facilitating this understanding. KiDS should be part of the school curriculum to help remove barriers to learning and the social inclusion of students with diabetes, ensuring their safety in the school environment.

Diabetes advocate and IDF Young Leader in Diabetes NAC Representative (Aruba) 

In my country, there is awareness about diabetes among students and school staff, but more can be done. The community— especially schools — are interested in learning more and constantly ask: “What are the best ways to keep children safe at school?” “How do we make sure that the classroom is inclusive?” 

I think diabetes educational initiatives like KiDS can achieve understanding and support initiatives for better or improved policies in schools that protect and empower children with diabetes. The local foundation, Fundacion Diabetes Aruba, has formed a team of its members, advocates and assistant practitioners to visit schools and educate children and school staff. This initiative, Diabetes Kids in Aruba, aims to bring diabetes education to schools to fight stigma and promote healthy lifestyles. 

Of course, there is always more that the government in Aruba can do to bring diabetes education to schools. Exposure is always appreciated when it comes to advocacy. Voicing more about the realities of children with diabetes at school would help bring more attention to the matter. Allocating a budget for school materials related to health and diabetes would also help educate children and the community and raise visibility. 

Roxana shares her perspective as the mother of a boy living with type 1 diabetes in the school environment.

IDF Young Leader in Diabetes alumni (Pakistan), living with type 1 diabetes

Life with type 1 diabetes can be challenging, particularly when your teachers and other school staff do not understand the condition. I could have been diagnosed earlier if my teachers and classmates had been aware of the symptoms of diabetes. They would see me go frequently to the bathroom during every period and drink lots of water, but no one knew what could be the cause. I felt ashamed and would not speak about it. As a result, I ended up in a diabetic coma.

After my diagnosis, my mother and doctor provided detailed guidance on my condition to my school and I no longer faced issues. When I experienced episodes of low or high blood glucose my teachers understood and helped me manage them.

After becoming an IDF Young Leader in Diabetes, I established a community organisation called Meethi Zindagi (Sweet Life). Part of its work involves raising awareness of diabetes in schools, inspired by my own experience. We help children and teachers visualize the symptoms so that they can identify them and support a child with diabetes in the school environment.

Programmes like KiDS can change the lives of children with diabetes. It can spare children from the sense of shame associated with a delayed diagnosis; it provides parents with the information they need to provide to schools; and above all, it can help create an environment where children with diabetes do not feel alone and misunderstood.

Available in Urdu, the KiDS information pack is an important part of the school awareness programmes organized by Meethi Zindagi, allowing us to make them more consistent and effective.

Student living with type 1 diabetes and IDF Young Leader in Diabetes

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in secondary school at the age of 14.

Despite noticeable diabetes signs and symptoms like sudden weight loss, excess thirst and frequent urination, school nurses couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. They gave me painkillers and vaginal creams instead. This went on for months, until I was found unconscious in my bed. All of this could have been avoided if the nurses had had knowledge about diabetes and how to help a child with diabetes-related signs.

I certainly believe I would have had a better experience if a project like KiDS had existed when I was at school. My fellow students didn’t quite understand my condition and assumed I had HIV because I had lost a lot of weight in the months prior to my diagnosis. Once they saw me injecting insulin, the rumors turned to pity remarks. The school staff were no different and often confused type 1 diabetes with type 2 diabetes.

I have had a number of bad experiences during my student years, but the worst happened when I was at university. I was going in for an exam, when the supervisor noticed my glucometer. Despite my numerous explanations about why it was essential for me, he would not let me access the exam room with it. After about an hour, I started getting signs of low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). I explained to him how I was feeling and asked to be excused to treat it, which he refused once again. Next thing I remember I was at the university sick bay. I would have died if my friends hadn’t explained to the nurse that I had diabetes and needed glucose.

Children living with diabetes go through lots of hardships at school. For my Young Leaders in Diabetes project, “Disarming Diabetes Daily”, I want to address the lack of adequate information in schools that causes, among other things, discrimination, stigma, and non-appropriate food options. I plan on using the KiDS information pack for my project, to promote empathy among school staff and students and create a better experience for children living with diabetes in schools.

In order to participate at school and be treated in the same way as others, children living with diabetes need people around them (like school staff and fellow students) to know more about diabetes and how to best support them. I, therefore, urge the Ugandan government to prioritize diabetes education in schools so that children living with the condition can live a normal life and reach their full potential.

Sergio (9 years old) shares his perspective of living with type 1 diabetes in the school environment.

Diabetes advocate and YLD Africa Rep-elect

I was 13 when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I was lucky because I did not face any challenges with diabetes management nor experience diabetes-related discrimination or stigma at school. 

All my friends knew about my condition, but they only learned to treat hypoglycaemia. I do not know what would have happened if I had not had supportive friends! Nonetheless, the surprising overall lack of diabetes awareness was enormous because people seemed, and still seem, uninterested in learning more about the condition. 

Regarding my diabetes management, the school could have had a clinic with trained personnel. School administrators are responsible for executing parental and medical orders outlined in the student's diabetes management plan. They must also facilitate school staff training to ensure staff can competently carry out the care plan. 

Student living with type 2 diabetes and IDF Young Leader in Diabetes

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of 19, during my second year in university. Looking back on my high school years, and even in university, there was a lack of regular and understandable information about diabetes. I learned about the types of diabetes when I was in the 9th grade, and before that, I got basic knowledge of the condition from family members who lived with it. That was five years before my diagnosis.

I had a friend living with type 1 diabetes, who knew what to do and had told her friends. They were understanding and had an idea of what to do if something happened. I cannot say as much for school staff, but they were friendly and helpful and looked out for their students.

I did the same as my friend when I was diagnosed. I told my friends first and then my lecturers and other staff members. They were very understanding and curious to know more about my experience.

I think the KiDS programme would have definitely changed my whole diabetes journey. It would improve the way people see, hear and know about the condition. It should be compulsory in schools, especially if you have a family history of diabetes. Preparing those who are more at risk and keeping at least one family member informed will make a difference.