This month we featured Crystal and her Daughter Brookie during DoingThingsDay! Here Crystal goes into much more detail! Follow them on IG @t1d_brookie !
Whether virtual or in-person, school is back in session for many students across the country. As the parent of a 3 year old living with Type 1 diabetes, the decision whether to send our daughter Brooklyn back to school in the middle of a pandemic did not come easily. Not only would Brooklyn have all new teachers this school year, but they would all be required to take a 4-hour comprehensive diabetes management course covering a wide range of topics such as what is diabetes, carb counting, how insulin works, signs of highs, signs of lows, ketones, emergency situations, etc. Additionally, as any parent with a Type 1 diabetic child knows, diabetes is so individualized that I would certainly need to educate her caregivers on things that they may have learned in training but that did not necessarily apply to Brooklyn. For example, the 15g rule for treating lows. In a non-severe hypoglycemic situation, giving Brooklyn 15g of carbs would cause her blood sugar to skyrocket….which would then lead to a rebound high. Corrections, extended boluses, temporary basal settings – all of the terminology they would need to quickly understand made my head spin – and I was positive theirs would too. I can recall thinking oh my goodness -- it’ll just be so much easier to keep her at home where we already have things under control, and we would also avoid overwhelming anyone with her needs.
As the mother of a child that would require some extra care and attention, I felt a sense of guilt during the months leading up to the new school year. I couldn’t help but think if she starts back, would her needs take away from the learning environment and the needs of other students in the class? Would her teachers begin to feel a sense of burnout after checking blood sugar readings throughout the day? Or what would they think if they received one more text from me saying “can you give her a few sips of juice please?” Conversely, if she stays home, how could we, as her parents, give her the proper education and attention that she needs, while also both working full-time jobs and supporting a second grader at home that would soon be starting school in a digital learning environment. Stress mode had officially set in.
I can recall thinking that maybe if I asked Brooklyn’s Endocrinologist her thoughts on going back to school that she would give me the magic answer I had so desperately been seeking. “YES! Just keep her home” – I was sure that’s what she would say. Or maybe I should just ask other parents what they’re doing and that would help us finalize our decision. After taking into consideration comments from her Doctor, tips shared from our online diabetes community, Brooklyn’s current A1C and her school’s COVID-19 protocols, we finally made a decision -- our girl was headed back to the classroom.
As of the end of August, Brooklyn has been back in school for a solid month and things have been going well. Do I still worry about her? Of course. But then again, will I ever stop worrying about her? Never – that’s just what mommas do. There are and will always be so many things in this life that are out of our control. But one thing I can control and feel good about is knowing that we made the best decision for our family and that our girl is surrounded by people that love and support her.
To the other caregivers out there with young Type 1 diabetic children, remember to be kind to yourself. You’re doing great! Ask for help when you need it and most importantly, take good care of yourself. And if you’re still on the fence about whether to send your child back to school, just remember that whatever decision you make is the best one for your family – not my family or the neighbor’s family – but yours. Hang in there – you’ve got this!
