After a few months of struggling with various injections, and not being happy with my blood glucose levels, I attended a few classes at a local diabetes center and decided to start using a pump. More specifically, I choose Ominipod! I choose to wear a Pod instead of other insulin pumps on the market because it is wireless! I live an active lifestyle and a Pod will provide me with the freedom I so desperately want.
Well, just one week after attending my pump class and filling out my paperwork my box arrived in the mail! I was astonished by how fast it came. Between paperwork, insurance, mail delivery times, etc...I thought for sure I'd be waiting at least until August. Nope! Here it is!
I am uberly excited to get started using the pump over the summer. My next class is scheduled for Monday, just 3 days away. I'm hoping to be a pump wearing pro before my first day back to school.
So, while I've been waiting for Monday to come so I can properly be trained how to use my wonderful pump, I decided to do a little internet search for child friendly diabetes picture books. I intend to share my diabetes and pump with my class this year. Although a pump is discrete, it still makes noise on occasion, and I am still going to need to check my blood glucose levels, and manage my lows and highs throughout the day. I also do not want to keep my diabetes a secret from my students. It is not something to be scared of. I want to use this opportunity to advocate for diabetes and teach students about it. While entrusting my students with my diabetes, I will be building a strong classroom community of caring and open-minded students.
So, here are a few pictures books that I've found so far that I can use as an avenue to teach students about diabetes:
1. Taking Diabetes to School by Kim Gosselin
This book contains an instructive story of a grade-schooler with diabetes who tells his
classmates about the disease and how he manages it. The story offers
insight into the day-to-day school life of a child with diabetes and includes 10 Tips for Teachers and a Kid Friendly Quiz.
2. Life with Diabetes by Dana Sheppard
3. Just Sweet Enough By Stacey Omstead DiNiro
This is a cute and simple story about being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
I'm still on the look out with a picture book focusing on having a teacher with diabetes. I've yet to find one. Maybe I need to publish my own! Do you know anyone with diabetes? Have you ever had a child with diabetes in your class? Please share!
3 comments:
About 5 years ago, I had a boy with diabetes in my class (which I looped with for 3 years!!) and another boy in another class a couple of years later! Both had paras and they also had pumps. The kids really didn't talk about it and neither did they. The nurse offered to give a lesson on diabetes, but they refused. They were able to tell me if they were low and I'd immediately send them with their para or another student (if she was at lunch) to the nurse. They also needed either a parent or a nurse to go with them on field trips. They often had to miss the trips because of this!
I think it's a great idea that you're sharing your story with your class. It'll empower them and take the fear out of the unknown.
ps: I have another child this year with diabetes too.
You have so many great ideas! I am your newest follower and a fellow 4th grade teacher! I found you one Teaching Blog Addict. Come check out my blog:
Fancy Free in Fourth
I had a boy in my class last year. Mom came in and read a book to the class. I can't remember the name of it. Then she had a teddy bear that had a pump attached to him. Showed the class how the teddy bear could manage his diabetes with the pump. Constantly reminding the class that this made him no different than anyone else.
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