School attendance in children with Type 1 diabetes.

To determine whether children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) miss more school than their non-DM siblings and peers and to identify factors associated with school absenteeism in children with DM.School absenteeism data for the 2000–01 school year were obtained for 78 children with DM, 38 non-DM siblings and 118 269 age-matched peers in Toronto, Ontario. Questionnaires and hospital records were utilized to evaluate child-, family- and diabetes-related factors associated with school absenteeism in children with DM.Children with DM missed only slightly, albeit significantly more school than both their non-DM siblings (mean±sd: 10.9 ± 8.9 vs. 8.1 ± 8.1 days,P < 0.001) and peers (median: 8.8 vs. 5.5 days,P = 0.0005). A multiple regression analysis indicated that school absenteeism in children with DM was associated with their parents’ attitudes towards school attendance (P = 0.002), poorer metabolic control (P = 0.006), shorter disease duration (P = 0.006) and a lack of aggressive behaviour (P = 0.02).With current management strategies, near normal school attendance is a reasonable goal for all children with DM and should be strongly encouraged by parents, educators and health care professionals.Diabet. Med. 22, 421–426 (2005) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]