Heading back to school is an exciting time. However, regardless of whether your child is starting kindergarten or heading into high school, preparation is key when they're living with diabetes. Taking some proactive measures with diabetes care can help your child feel confident, safe, and ready to succeed. From packing the right supplies to building independent care habits, there are plenty of ways to support your child as they transition from summer to school-year structure. Here, we'll go over a few tips to get you started.
What to Do Before the First Day Back to School
To make sure your child has a safe and successful school year, here are a few things to do before the first day.
Schedule a Back-to-School Healthcare Visit
Before the first day of classes comes, schedule a visit with your child's diabetes care provider. This is a great time to review the overall diabetes management plan and make sure your child has everything they need for a successful school year.
You may also need to get certain forms from the school signed, depending on your circumstances. For example, a 504 Plan, which protects your child from discrimination, or an Individualized Health Plan (IHP), which outlines your student's needs and how they're managed throughout the school day.
This is a great time to ask questions, raise any concerns, and get helpful tips to help make sure that your child stays safe and healthy at school.
Create an Emergency Action Plan for Your Child's Diabetes Care
To make sure the school year goes smoothly, it's a good idea to create an emergency care plan complete with contact information and share it with your child's school. A personalized Diabetes Medical Management Plan (DMMP) will help make sure that there's continuity with your child's at-home diabetes management and treatment plan. According to the CDC, this should include things such as:
- Target blood sugar range
- Whether your child needs help checking their blood sugar
- Your child's specific low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) symptoms
- How to treat low blood sugar
- Insulin or other medications used
- Meals and snack plans, including for special events
- How to manage physical activity or sports
If you don't know where to start, ask your doctor for help making a diabetes management plan. This should be shared with staff before school starts to ensure that there's an established plan in place that needs to be followed.
Meet With the School Staff
Next, you'll want to schedule an appointment to meet with your child's teacher and school nurse before the start of classes. Some parents prefer to do this before a doctor's appointment, so that they can speak with their child's specialist after they meet with the school nurse. However, you can always contact the doctor if there are clarifying questions after meeting with school personnel.
During the meeting, it's important to notify teachers, the school nurse, any coaches, and administrative staff about your child's diabetes diagnosis. You may also want to include support staff such as recess monitors, school aides, and even school bus drivers if applicable. You can also schedule a follow-up meeting after the first week to check in and make sure that things are going well or to address any additional questions.
You can learn more about how schools are required to protect your child's rights at the American Diabetes Association website.
Organize Medical Supplies
Another key element of going back to school is making sure that your child has all the supplies they need. Depending on their age, they may need help managing diabetes at school, or they may be able to take ownership of their care (to a degree). Work with the school during your initial meeting to determine where supplies will be stored and create a schedule for checking blood glucose levels, administering insulin, and more.
You should also pack a bag that can be kept either with your child or stored in the school nurse's office. This should contain all of the diabetes supplies with your child's name on them. Some things to pack in the diabetes management kit include:
- Blood glucose meter (plus extra batteries)
- Test strips (appropriate to the meter brand)
- Lancets and a lancing device
- Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) supplies (if applicable, like extra sensors or transmitters)
- Insulin (pens, vials, or pump supplies, depending on method)
- Insulin delivery device (syringes, insulin pen, pump, or smart pens)
- Alcohol wipes or hand sanitizer
- Fast-acting glucose (like glucose tablets, juice boxes, glucose gel, or regular soda)
- Glucagon emergency kit (traditional injectable or nasal spray version)
- Protein-rich snacks (like peanut butter crackers or granola bars for follow-up)
- Ketone test strips (urine) or a blood ketone meter, especially for those on insulin
- Water bottle (staying hydrated helps with high blood sugar)
- Extra insulin (if the doctor recommends) for correction doses
- Backup insulin (pen or vial/syringe)
- Extra infusion sets, tubing, and reservoirs (for insulin pump users)
- Backup batteries or charger (for pump or CGM devices)
- Medical alert ID bracelet or tag
- Sharps container or hard-sided container for used lancets/needles (optional)
- Snacks for scheduled breaks or emergencies
- Emergency contact card with parents’ phone numbers and doctor information
- Copy of Diabetes Medical Management Plan (for the school nurse or teacher)
- Note explaining symptoms of high and low blood sugar
- Comfort item (younger children may benefit from a small stuffed animal or comfort object during checks)
Tips for Establishing a Diabetes Management Plan at School
Sending your child off to school should be an exciting milestone, one where they get to make new friends and practice their independence. Still, with a chronic condition, it's normal to have a few worries. To help, you can work on helping your children build healthy self-management habits ahead of time. Some tips include:
- Practice having your child check their blood sugar on their own
- Teach your child how to recognize symptoms of high or low blood sugar
- Go over when and how to treat low blood sugar
- Practice packing their diabetes kit
- Role-play different school scenarios
- Build a habit of checking supplies together
- Encourage your child to speak up if they don't feel well
- Teach them how to log their numbers and keep notes
- Talk to them about confidence, not perfection
Of course, some things need to be adapted to ensure age-appropriateness, but getting your child involved early on can help make the transition into self-care easier in the future.
Tips for Diabetes Nutrition and Meal Planning
Another area to consider regarding your child's health is whether they will bring bagged lunches or eat a hot lunch provided by the school. Typically, a lunch menu will be sent home in advance, so you can review your options before deciding. To help your child get familiar with diabetes nutrition, consider the following:
- Talk through the lunch menu and highlight good options together
- Teach basic carbohydrate counting skills (age-appropriate)
- Pack lunches and snacks together
- Talk about classroom treats ahead of time
- Try to time snacks strategically (and communicate this)
- Encourage hydration
- Prepare for the unexpected
- Lead by example
- Normalize food flexibility (avoid making any foods "off-limits")
Tips for Physical Activity and Extracurriculars
Physical education, field trips, and after-school activities are all an exciting part of a child's day, but they can present a few hiccups to diabetes care. Some tips to help you prepare for these types of school activities include:
- Talk to your child about how exercise affects blood sugar
- Build a habit of checking blood sugar before and after activities
- Pack an extra snack for active days
- Create a portable diabetes kit for after-school activities
- Encourage your child to listen to their body
- Prepare for field trips in advance
- Practice speaking up so your child feels comfortable communicating if they have something to say
- Encourage confidence, not fear
Emotional and Social Support for Kids With Diabetes
Managing diabetes at school isn’t just about blood sugar checks and snacks; it’s also about helping your child feel emotionally resilient, socially connected, and confident in who they are. School can be a challenging place when kids feel "different" from their peers, but with your support, they can learn to navigate those feelings and build self-assurance. Take the time to talk to your child and practice communication so they feel ready and confident when they're on their own. If you're struggling to find the right words, ask your diabetes specialist for help.
Children living with type 1 diabetes, or even those who have been diagnosed with another form of diabetes at an early age, may need some extra care at school, and that's okay. The key is making sure they're prepared with everything they need for the day. To help, Byram Healthcare carries a wide range of products that can be discreetly delivered to your door. Browse our selection and buy diabetes supplies online today to make sure you're ready for the first day back to school.
