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.