School schedule: too much testing?

[KylesMom]

My son starts school on Tuesday, and after meeting with everyone there we decided on this schedule for him:

8:30-9am (school starts at 9). Test bg on PE days -- PE at 9:05 2days/week

10am bg check and snack (correction given with snack if over 250, or a carb Free snack if 180-250)

12:15 recess for 30 minutes then straight to lunch. I decided on Kyle re-checking before recess if he had a carb-free snack or had a correction at 10 am.

12:45 bg check and insulin before lunch

3:15 bg check before getting on the bus.

How does this sound? It seems like a lot of checking to me--5 times on some days, but he has recess right after the time of day he tends to drop a lot (between 10am & 12--he often drops 100pts at this time without carbs, I think because of the lantus...another issue!!) so if he didn't have a carb snack he needs to check before running around. And I would like him to check before PE and only get extra carbs if needed because we occasionally have problems with the after breakfast spike.
PE and recess both fall at his tricky time of day. Does this seem like a lot of disruption and bg checking in his day? How often does your CWD test during the school day?

[BittysMom]

Originally Posted by KylesMom

My son starts school on Tuesday, and after meeting with everyone there we decided on this schedule for him:

8:30-9am (school starts at 9). Test bg on PE days -- PE at 9:05 2days/week

10am bg check and snack (correction given with snack if over 250, or a carb Free snack if 180-250)

12:15 recess for 30 minutes then straight to lunch. I decided on Kyle re-checking before recess if he had a carb-free snack or had a correction at 10 am.

12:45 bg check and insulin before lunch

3:15 bg check before getting on the bus.

How does this sound? It seems like a lot of checking to me--5 times on some days, but he has recess right after the time of day he tends to drop a lot (between 10am & 12--he often drops 100pts at this time without carbs, I think because of the lantus...another issue!!) so if he didn't have a carb snack he needs to check before running around. And I would like him to check before PE and only get extra carbs if needed because we occasionally have problems with the after breakfast spike.
PE and recess both fall at his tricky time of day. Does this seem like a lot of disruption and bg checking in his day? How often does your CWD test during the school day?

I'm going to be watching this thread closely because now I feel remiss that my daughter won't be checked more often... She'll only be checked before lunch (when she's dosed) and if she doesn't feel well during gym/recess etc. I have a feeling once I start to see her schedule in action I'll have a better idea of what needs to be done.

[virgo39]

I think it very much depends on your child and your child's schedule and needs.

DD is checked at lunchtime and otherwise only as needed. We do that because:

• she does not take the bus to school, which is in part to avoid another BG check at school

• she seems to be aware when she is low

• she has PE right after lunch

• she is on a pump and -- at least for the moment, her basal rates for the school day seem to be working

I am happy that DD's schedule works this way, but recognize that that may all change next year. If you conclude that not all of the checks are needed, you can drop the one that isn't needed.

[KylesMom]

Originally Posted by BittysMom

I'm going to be watching this thread closely because now I feel remiss that my daughter won't be checked more often... She'll only be checked before lunch (when she's dosed) and if she doesn't feel well during gym/recess etc. I have a feeling once I start to see her schedule in action I'll have a better idea of what needs to be done.

Don't let me make you second guess what you are doing. I'm afraid this is too much during the day. Kyle didn't test this much last year but he had a much different schedule. We know mornings are tricky for him and he has a lot of activity going on in the morning (plus changing classes with 3 different teachers). Your daughter probably has a schedule that fits with her needs better.

[BittysMom]

Originally Posted by KylesMom

Don't let me make you second guess what you are doing. I'm afraid this is too much during the day. Kyle didn't test this much last year but he had a much different schedule. We know mornings are tricky for him and he has a lot of activity going on in the morning (plus changing classes with 3 different teachers). Your daughter probably has a schedule that fits with her needs better.

I guess we'll see. I'm planning on being up there the first week an awful lot

[Kaylas mom]

Kayla tests 2 hours after breakfast, which happens to fall in line with right before her PE class for high school (team sports) she is usually in the 150 to 270 range so as long as no ketones she can go. Then she does test again after class and then again before lunch. Then once again before leaving the school to ride home with a friend. So she tests at least 4 times but three of those are actually within 3 hours of eachother.

Noah tests before lunch, 2 hours after lunch. On PE days, before and after and then one more time at the end of the school day because he stays for an hour after for flag football practice and the nurse's office closes 15 mins after school gets out. He will continue that most of the year because after football is basketball and then track. PE is every other day. So three times a day on non PE days and 4 on PE days because the after PE check is also the before lunch check.

[selketine]

I agree that you have to go with what works for you.

On the positive side you can always change the testing schedule and cut back if you don't need those tests.

William has only one routine test a day - before lunch. He has PE once a week and is tested before that. Recess is after lunch so no problem there. And he doesn't ride the bus.

This is the FIRST year he has ever had snack (4th grade) because their lunch is so late - so he does test 3x a week before snack at 10 a.m.

I think having snack and riding the bus and PE twice a week is what is adding up the tests.

[jbmom1b2g]

My DD gets tested before lunch recess, before lunch, before PE and before the afternoon recess. I am sure I will be cutting the afternoon recess check out soon but I want to make sure she is ok during the day.

[emm142]

At school I pretty much used to test before every class and before getting on the bus (6 times) when not wearing CGMS. It sounds like a lot, but I needed it because I'm hypo unaware but going to a lesson is pretty useless when I'm low as I won't take a lot in.. The amount of testing needed is so variable between people.

[bnmom]

Originally Posted by selketine

I agree that you have to go with what works for you.

On the positive side you can always change the testing schedule and cut back if you don't need those tests.

That ^. If your son doesn't feel his lows, then a lot of checking would be the way to go.

My son recognizes most of his lows - so he just tests before school, at lunch, after school. Those are our only standard times...other than that he just checks if he feels off (he keeps his stuff with him so its easy).

Then if we find he is hitting lows at the same time a couple days in a row, we adjust doses to compensate and go from there.