Study of the child's needs with school -age diabetes

In 2004-2005 the Diabetes Foundation launched a study in the Community of Madrid, including children with school-age diabetes (3-18 years), in order to detect the real needs of children withDiabetes in his school life: school, family, sport, games, excursions ... and know the difficulties for their complete integration compatible with the guidelines dictated by their doctor/educator with his daily life.

Some of the results obtained were:

The parents demanded the existence of an informed nurse and teachers about diabetes.
Somewhat less than half of the spouses had to modify their work activity to serve their child.
30% of children ate at school, of which a wide segment claimed not to be controlled by their child's feeding.
Since parents' opinion, only 35% of physical education teachers knew how to recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia.
The children did not carry out the excursions and extracurricular activities of several days, despite not having obstacles from the school.

New 2014-2015 study:

Study of the child's needs with school-age diabetes 2014-2015 Transcort several years since these results were obtained, at the Diabetes Foundation we decided to start in 2013 a study to learn about the current situation of school-age children not onlyIn the Community of Madrid, but throughout Spain, and know the current demands of the parents, including also those of the children.In this way, we would know what difficulties are families with children with diabetes, and what situations should be modified so that full integration occurs in all areas of the child's life.

For this we publish for 12 months at www.fundacionndiabetes.org a banner through which a previously scheduled survey was accessed, which parents and children completed.

From the results obtained in this new study, with a broader geographical scope than the one carried out in the years 2004-2005, it follows that although the situation has improved in some aspects such as sports practice at school, parents continue to claimMore information for teachers and staff of the educational center, as well as the existence of a nurse at school.

Results of the study "The needs of the child with school -age diabetes":

Place and date: Spain 2014-2015
Authors: Marina Beléndez, Dr. in Psychology.Professor of the University of Alicante, and Iñaki Lorente, an expert psychologist in Diabetes and Patron of the Diabetes Foundation

Perspective of fathers and mothers

Shows what the study has been conducted

About boys and girls with diabetes

Fathers and mothers consider that diabetes does not make the child's integration difficult in the family (92% nothing or little).In addition, they consider that, in general, the child does not try to hide the disease, or to their friends or at school (88% and 85%, respectively).
It emphasizes that 89% know how to measure glycemia and 68% know how to inject insulin, although these percentages fall to 44% when it comes to deciding the amount to be put on.
For half of the parents, the control of the diabetes of their children is good or optimal.
About his personal and family life

In 7 out of 10 parents, the diagnosis of diabetes has affected their family life, and 1 in 2 fathers or mothers have had to modify their work activity to serve the child.
They consider that the information they have of diabetes is at least enough, the doctor being the main source of useful information.
About the school

At school, teachers, directors and colleagues know that the child has diabetes and have been informedmost of the time by the parents themselves.In general, schools have not put problems (82.5%), and almost all schools have not stopped admitting the child due to diabetes.
The adaptation to school life is good, both before and after the diagnosis, the teachers being the main support of the child.
Informed teachers as well as the existence of a nurse are the main aid that parents consider relevant to improve diabetes control.
"27% of parents of children under 6 have found a problem in the school due to diabetes.""4% of parents say that they have stopped admitting their child in some center and 5% have had to change schools"

Somewhat less than half of the parents believe that teachers know what type I diabetes is. 40% of parents believe that in the school they do not know how to recognize minor hypoglycemia.
Approximately half of the children need to put insulin in school and mostly they have not had to change the injection pattern during school hours (90%).Among those who need to become self -control in school hours (92%), 9% have reduced the number of self -controls due to lack of collaboration.The variation of the glycemia and insulin analysis pattern is more pronounced in the case of younger children.
"Among the parents of children under 6, approximately 16% claim to have varied the pattern of glycemia or insulin controls due to lack of collaboration in the school"

According to parents, a high percentage of schools (7 out of 10) has glucagon;However, the percentage of parents who believe there is someone in the center who knows how to injection it does not reach half.
Among those who have guidance/psychology service in the school, approximately 27% have ever consulted for diabetes related issues.15% of parents say that their children's school center has a nurse, which they have consulted in 32% of cases by diabetes.
Food, sport and extracurricular activities

71% of children do not eat at school.The main reasons are closeness, ensure that it makes the diet and because it has to put the insulin.
Regarding sport, almost all children do sports with their classmates, highlighting that half of the parents believe that the physical education teacher knows how to recognize hypoglycemia.
Approximately 2 out of 10 cases, parents declare that they give them difficulties in the extracurricular outputs.
Relationship with colleagues

Companions have met the child's diabetes by the child himself (84%), highlighting that 14% of parents declare derogatory comments about it.Almost half of the parents believe that the classmates understand what happens to their child.
What do parents demand for schools?

The main demands of the parents to schools would be more general information for teachers (84%), as well as emergency information on class diabetes and in common areas, such as dining room or gym (80%).70% claims a nurse.

Download the full study:

Link
Infographic Summary of results: