Diabetes School Care in Pennsylvania

Resolution - RECOGNITION AND CARE OF SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN WITH DIABETES

Whereas, The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases states that diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in school-age children, affecting 176,500 young people in the United States in 2005; about one in every 400 to 600 people under the age of 20 has type 1 diabetes; and

Whereas, The American Diabetes Association states that in 2002, diabetes was the fifth-deadliest disease in the United States; and

Whereas, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that each year, more than 13,000 youths are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes; and

Whereas, A growing number of children and adolescents are developing type 2 diabetes-a form of diabetes that is generally diagnosed among adults; and

Whereas, Many schools do not have a full-time nurse or licensed healthcare professional available on-site to handle medical emergencies, and nursing duties are oftentimes performed by other schools personnel; therefore be it

Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations urge that all school personnel receive general training on diabetes; and be it further

Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations urge that at least two staff members per school obtain specific training on diabetes care, diabetic emergency procedures, and identification and treatment of symptoms of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia as allowed by individual state statutes and licensures.