Does school nurse always call to inform of lows?

[Momto3]

Hey everyone,

I was just wondering if the school nurse calls you each time your child goes low or extremely high?

Yesterday DD went low and I found out by looking in her log book I send back and forth each day. Needless to say I was a little frustrated, but the nurses have been great otherwise so I'm guessing they were super busy. I was going to call today and gently remind them to call me, but was just curious if I am expecting too much of the nurses or is this what most parts of CWD handle highs and lows.

Thanks for your help!!

[Nancy in VA]

When Emma was in preschool, she used to call with lows, but then she knew what to do, so she didn't call and I just found out when she got home. What will you do with the information when she calls? If the nurse knows how to treat and follow-up and is doing so, what will knowing while you aren't there going to do?

[Momto3]

Nancy,

You make an interesting point. Knowing won't change anything during the phone call, I suppose. DD fell asleep on the way to pick up her older sister because of another low. I suppose knowing in advance would have just put me on extra alert and not dismiss the nap because of a busy day. We are still tweaking DD's ratios, so I suppose that is why I want to know.

We are four months into the D diagnosis so I'm still learning how most people handle these situations.

Thanks for the insights.

[virgo39]

DD's Diabetes Care Plan provides that the nurse is to call me if DD's reading is over or under particular numbers. We are in the process of modifying those numbers, because they didn't really make sense -- the nurse knows how to treat lows (and symptoms even where DD's BG test is in range) and there's no reason for her to call me the vast majority of the time.

So really, for me, it's more a case of what number would I want to know about even though there's nothing I'd actually be doing about it, kwim?

[Nancy in VA]

Momto - it took me a lot longer than 4 months to reach a point of not checking just to check, so you're fine.

But, when I'm at a point that I think I need to check, I ask myself what I'm going to do with the information. If I'm checking because I really think she'll be low, then I check. But if I check and I know she's still going to be high and I'm not going to correct because it hasn't been long enough yet, then I don't check. But, it took a long time to reach the point where I felt it was ok to not check.

But, I would praise your nurse for taking such good care of your daughter. Maybe she can use a highlighter to highlight the lows or highs so you see them quickly, but as long as she's following your low protocol that you established, you should be fine.

I'm home with my daughter, but shoot, the minute Daddy walks in the door, she gives him a run down of her day, including whether she was high or low (and funny expressions to go along with it), so I bet if you ask your daughter, she'll tell you pretty quickly! but unless you think you need to do something about it while she's at school, I wouldn't worry. If she's "running low" and you are worried about her staying low, I'd send a note in or give a call and tell you that she needs to check more often or call in those cases, but a regular low and move on, I wouldn't.

[mathcat]

Related to lows, the nurse only calls if my son is below 50, has more than one low in a day, or if he is low before lunch. I review his numbers when my son gets home each day so I know if I need to make any adjustments.

Related to highs, the nurse only calls if my son is above 300. She does check for ketones before calling.

[McKenna'smom]

No, the school nurse doesn't call me if DD is low between 50 and 80. She just treats as prescribed and everybody goes on their way. However, if she is below 50, I get a call. Otherwise, the nurse also calls me if she is above 300. Then I usually have to go perform a site or insulin change.

[Momto3]

Originally Posted by Nancy in VA

Momto - it took me a lot longer than 4 months to reach a point of not checking just to check, so you're fine.

But, when I'm at a point that I think I need to check, I ask myself what I'm going to do with the information. If I'm checking because I really think she'll be low, then I check. But if I check and I know she's still going to be high and I'm not going to correct because it hasn't been long enough yet, then I don't check. But, it took a long time to reach the point where I felt it was ok to not check.

But, I would praise your nurse for taking such good care of your daughter. Maybe she can use a highlighter to highlight the lows or highs so you see them quickly, but as long as she's following your low protocol that you established, you should be fine.
.

Thank you Nancy!!! That is a great perspective!

[Beach bum]

Our nurses will only call if Abby is low and they want to troubleshoot treating/dosing w/me or if it's a stubborn low and they want to know what I would like done. They will tell me if she is low, but not neccessarily w/in minutes of it happening. Generally it's at the end of the day to just summarize how everything went.

We've been working together for 5 years now, I'm totally comfortable with how this works. I know they will call me if they need me.

Oh, and generally the first things out of her mouth when she gets in the car was, I was low today.

[valerie k]

No, and we only get called if he is over 300 with ketones. She can handle the lows as well as we can.