Most physical education (PE) teachers are unaware of students in their care who are diabetic, according to a recent survey released prior to April 4, Children’s Day, to raise awareness about safety at school for diabetics.
The survey of 132 diabetics aged four to 21 showed that not every teacher entrusted with their care was aware of their condition, Formosan Diabetes Care Foundation president Lo Fu-sung (羅福松) said.
Lo said 57 percent of school-age diabetics did not tell their PE teachers about their health condition, mostly because of embarrassment or fears of discrimination.
“Exercise can improve diabetes control and students should be encouraged to take up moderate sports,” he said.
“However, PE teachers need to help monitor the safety of diabetic children to prevent emergencies,” he added.
He urged parents of diabetics to communicate with their children’s’ teachers and other students to create a more diabetic-friendly environment for their children.
Teachers, for example, can show care by making sure they have checked their blood sugar levels before PE class, Lo said.
“If the blood glucose level is above 200mg/dl, diabetics should take 500cc of water and rest before resuming exercise,” Lo said.
Although 77 percent of the respondents said they felt cared for at school, 23 percent said there was still room for improvement.
The survey showed that about 13 percent of students with diabetes checked their blood glucose and inject insulin in the restroom instead of the classroom or health center, Lo said, adding that 16 percent refused to check their levels at school out of embarrassment.
The questionnaire was distributed to 82 students with diabetes and 43 parents with diabetic children between October and December.
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