Diabetes at School Program

Diabetic children spend the majority of an ordinary day (8-10 hours a day) under supervision of school staff. The lack of glycemic control within this period of time has a negative impact on management of diabetes. Unless they receive proper training, school staff -mainly teachers- may experience difficulty in terms of responding to requirements of diabetes management and ensuring optimal blood glucose control. Furthermore, regardless of age groups and level of self-sufficiency, type 1 diabetic children are in need of support during their time at school, which means that the supervision of school staff is of utmost importance. Because there is no school nurse at many schools, monitoring blood glucose levels and administering insulin doses are a responsibility assumed by parents and school personnel. We have been practicing the Diabetes at School program since 2010 in our country and conducting various activities within this framework. 

As the Pediatric Diabetes team of Koç University, we conduct the “Emergency Diabetes Care Program at School” on the last Saturday of each month as part of the overall program. So far, 60 teachers and nurses have taken part in these courses since October 2018.