Your input

[ccarrol4]

I posted a new thread in the college students forum. Since some of you are parents of colege students, I was wondering if you'd go read it and tell me what you/your child would have done. Thanks in advance.

[Ellen]

Why would anyone leave the room to check bg or to treat? No sense getting up and walking if you are already low or suspect your bg is low. My son turns off the beeps from his meter so it doesn't make any noise...and if he needs to eat a few glucose tabs or a Cliff Bar in class, he just does it.

You may want to go to the office for students with disabilities to find out if you need to address this with each professor if the school doesn't allow eating in the classroom.

[Amy C.]

Thanks for asking parents. I have been wanting to respond. I know I don't quite fit the parent you want to ask.

I encourage my son to test where he is. It is a little surpising to other folks at first, but they would get used to it. He tests at his desk and at the lunch table at school.

If he feels low and it isn't convenient to test, he eats glucose tabs right where he is.

He has turned off the beep of his meter to make it less noticeable.

[coni]

I am a college instructor, not a student, but I have a 5 year old who is Type 1. As a consequence, I understand the need for testing and treating a low.

I also have a T1 student in my classes. She tests and treats lows in class. I have requested that she use food or drink discretely, mainly because we have a school wide policy against eating or drinking in the classroom. I also requested that she consider contacting the Dean of Students for an accommodation letter. That way, I can justify and support her eating or drinking in the classroom in the event other students complain.

My main concern, quite frankly, is if she goes low during an exam. I would prefer that she have an accommodation letter so I could give her additional time or allow her to retake the exam. Without the letter, I can not allow accommodations. To date, she has decided against the letter.

[Hollyb]

My son's still in high school but he always tests in class or wherever he is. With the teachers who have a "no food" policy in their classroom, he explains he is diabetic and sometimes needs to eat to treat low blood sugar and they always say fine. He carries glucose tabs and non-messy snacks that he can eat easily.

I'm sure you could get a letter of medical necessity or accommodation, but depending on what classes you are taking (you'd expect stricter rules in biology labs, maybe) I'd be suprised if your professors would have any issues with you discretely taking care of your medical needs. Still as Coni points out, it would be very useful in case of a low during exams, so you can have an extension for the time it takes to treat your low.