5 Tips for When Your Child with Diabetes Goes to College

You’re probably worrying about how they’ll manage their diabetes without you, right? Will they eat right? Will they remember to take their insulin on time? Will they check their blood sugar often enough? So that your child can embrace their new college life, the best thing you can do is build their confidence when it comes to their diabetes management. To give you some extra peace of mind, here are some tips and tricks to remember as your child flies the nest for the very first time.

Tip #1: Schedule a pre-college doctor’s appointment

When kids go off to college, they’re most likely moving away from their usual doctor. Which is why a pre-college doctor’s visit is a great idea. Their doctor can educate them on things and have an open conversation with them about any concerns they might have. This is also a great time to talk about your child’s care while they’re away at college and ensure they have the prescriptions and supplies they’ll need.

Supplies your child should take to college include:

• Sharps container
• Lockbox for diabetes supplies
• Enough insulin, insulin pens, or vials
• Needles (if needed)
• Supplies for an insulin pump (if they use a pump)
• Blood sugar monitor and related supplies
• Glucose tablets and other hypo snacks

Tip #2: Encourage your child to come up with the right insulin regime together with their doctor

While your child is at the doctor’s, make sure they talk about coming up with an insulin regime that fits with their new college schedule. College students often have schedules that vary from week to week. Your child might have an early morning class one day, and  sleep in late on the weekends. Typical student life ;) Your child will need an insulin regimen that’s both flexible and manageable. 

Two plans that often work well with the college lifestyle include:

• Long-acting insulin combined with short-acting insulin
• Or, continuous insulin infusion with an insulin pump

Remember, it’s a good idea to try out a new regime for a few months before they head off to college.

Tip #3: Have an open discussion about food and healthy eating

Living alone for the first time can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to dealing with mealtimes. It’s common for college students to overeat, or indulge in fast food a little too often. Eating in the college cafeteria can also make it difficult to figure out nutritional information or serving sizes, making it tough to count carbs and adjust insulin doses. One way you can help keep your child on track is to come up with some easy, simple recipes they can cook at home and suggest healthier snack options like nuts or veggies with hummus. 

Plus, who doesn’t love getting mail? Why not send a care package every month or two, filled with healthy snacks and other useful items like:

• Gift card for groceries
• Some fun hypo snacks, like candy or juice boxes
• Additional supplies they need
• Hand sanitizer
• And other favorites

Tip #4: Make Sure Your Child Knows Where to Get Medical Care on Campus

Ensure your child knows where they can get medical care while they’re at college. Most campuses have a campus health center. Find out what services the center provides. Along with an introduction to the medical care center, find out where the local pharmacies are. It’s also a good idea to find where emergency, night, and weekend services are available and how your child can access them if needed.

Tip #5: Have Your Child Register with Disability Services

While your child might not be comfortable with the term disability, registering with Disability Services at college has some key benefits:

• If students don’t register, they aren’t guaranteed to have accommodation for problems that arise. For example, if they haven’t registered and they miss a test due to low blood sugar, allowances might not be made. 
• Registering for Disability Services allows your child to do things like have food and drinks in class, which may not be otherwise allowed.
• Priority may be available for things like class registration, housing, and dining.

Watching your little one fly the nest is never going to be easy, but the best thing you can do as a parent is to raise your child to be independent and capable of taming their diabetes monster alone. 

Sources

T1 Everyday Magic, 2020. Leaving for College. [webpage] Available at: https://www.t1everydaymagic.com/leaving-for-college/ [Accessed 02/06/21].

Yale Medicine, 2021. Dealing with Diabetes in College. [webpage] Available at: https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/diabetes-manangement-college [Accessed 02/06/21].

Mellinger. D.C., 2003.Preparing Students With Diabetes for Life at College. American Diabetes Association, [online]. Available at: https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/26/9/2675. 

College Diabetes Network. 2021. Life After Drop Off. [webpage] Available at: https://collegediabetesnetwork.org/parents/after-drop-off. [Accessed 02/06/21].