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thirsty

thinner

tired

toilet

 

Our daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) when she was 12.

 

Common signs that indicate T1D are increased thirst and night wakings to go to the bathroom. In more serious cases, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can develop. DKA looks a lot like the flu with vomiting and lethargy, and a simple finger prick to check blood glucose should be used to rule out T1D or indicate appropriate treatment. Missing an accurate diagnosis puts the child in greater danger. 

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Since our daughter was diagnosed with T1D, our job has been to provide "scaffolding" to support her independence in managing this disease. In addition to keeping her bag well-stocked with supplies to counter an uncooperative pancreas, we created a tool-kit of documents to quickly communicate the essentials of diabetes care to teachers, camp counselors, etc.. They are posted below, along with a sample 504 letter organized to be consistent with Chicago Public School's documents. Feel free to download them and edit to meet your needs. Parents in Illinois should know that their child is protected by state law.  More generally, the Americans with Disabilities Act offers federal protections. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Education
A day in the life of a diabadass
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