Diminished school‐based support for the management of type 1 diabetes in adolescents compared to younger children.

Aims: To evaluate diabetes management at school in a large cohort of adolescents with type 1 diabetes and to compare the level of support provided to adolescents with that provided to younger children. Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to adolescents with type 1 diabetes attending nine regional and tertiary paediatric diabetes services in the Republic of Ireland. The data collected included patient demographics, treatment regimen and support provided for self‐care management. Results were compared with a similar cohort of primary school children with type 1 diabetes, studied using similar methodology. Results: The study cohort comprised 405 adolescents with a median age of 15 years, of whom 215 (54%) were on multiple daily injections and 128 (32%) were on pump therapy. Eighty‐five percent of pump users administered their bolus insulin in classrooms, whereas 76% of those on a multiple daily injection regimen injected outside the classroom. Girls were less likely to administer bolus insulin in an office (10% vs 19%) and more likely to administer it in the bathroom (50% vs 34%; P=0.01). Twenty‐five adolescents (12%) on multiple daily injection regimens did not administer bolus insulin at school. Compared to primary school children with type 1 diabetes, adolescents were less likely to use pump therapy, have an emergency treatment plan and have a designated staff member responsible for care needs. Conclusions: Support provided to adolescents with type 1 diabetes is diminished compared with that provided to younger schoolchildren. What's new?: In the Republic of Ireland, only a quarter of adolescents with type 1 diabetes have an emergency management plan at school.The majority of adolescents on pump therapy administer bolus insulin in the classroom, while the majority of those on multiple daily injections administer it in offices or school bathrooms.One in eight adolescents on multiple daily injections do not administer bolus insulin at school.Girls are more likely to administer bolus insulin in school bathrooms than boys.Support provided to adolescents with type 1 diabetes is lower compared to that provided to their primary school counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]