<p>My son is planning on applying to boarding school for the 2009/10 school year. He will be applying as a freshman. This weekend he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Does anyone know whether this will in any way inhibit the application process, admission or attendance. (I am not really looking for a medical diagnosis - I have plenty of those right now - rather I am looking for the boarding school impact.)</p>
<p>I am sorry to hear about your son, but I am sure he will do well. BS is an ideal place for a student with diabetes - there are health care facilities and professionals on campus and there are always students and faculty members around in the case of a low. Please feel free to pm me if you would like to discuss.</p>
<p>I'm sorry to hear about your son. I'm sure you are all recovering from the shock. Most boarding schools have a 24 hour health center, generally with a nurse and some staff on duty and a nearby doctor on call. Prescription drugs are administered there. You should investigate the health center when you go on tour. I don't think diabetes should stop your son.</p>
<p>Thank you for the quick replies. I hoped what you said would be the case. He has been very concerned since learning on Friday that all his plans would have to change - some have e.g., military academies now seem to be out - but he will be glad to know that the diabetes should not be an impediment should he get get in to a boarding school. Since Friday, he has been repeatedly told that if he takes care of himself as required, most of what he does/wants to do is still available. He is now in the process of convincing himself of this. Your replies should help - afterall things are always more compelling when they come from someone other than "Dad."</p>
<p>Some schools informally watch what kids are eating or if they are not eating. At my D's school, the proctors watched for eating disorders, which seem to be prevalent among teenage girls.</p>
<p>So, if responsible adults are aware and there are adequate medical personnel and facilities, and perhaps a hospital close by, you won't have to worry much. A roommate would be an excellent idea since an evening episode might otherwise go unnoticed.</p>
<p>Some schools have dorm kitchens (SPS for one) that would make access to evening snacks easier too.</p>
<p>Would it be harder for him to get in because of his disadvantage?</p>
<p>No, I definitely do not believe that would factor into an admissions decision.</p>
<p>As others have said, this won't be a consideration in admissions and shouldn't be a big problem after enrollment. Another benefit that you may find at BS is that the dining hall is usually managed at the school (unlike public schools which often have a centralized district food service) so that any dietary requirements can also be easily accommodated.</p>
<p>It would be illegal for a BS to discriminate. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires schools to make reasonable accomodations. But even without the ADA, I cannot imagine any BS (with the possible exception of military schools) treating someone with diabete differently than any other applicant. I suspect that most boarding schools have more than one diabetic in the student population. In my experience, I found both faculty and students to be extremely supportive.</p>
<p>The good thing about getting the diagnosis now -- over a year before he would be attending boarding school -- is that he will have time to learn about how to best accomodate the diabetes. My guess is that schools might be a bit leery (not meaning they would discriminate --but it would be more of a concern) of having a BS student who had just been diagnosised with diabetes since it usually takes some time for the student to become educated about how to deal with it. He will be on top of things by the time applications are due -- so it will not be an issue.</p>
<p>@bongo--Diabetes is not a disadvantage in the admissions process or in life. It is a health condition just like an allergy to bee stings or a peanut allergy. It is easily controlled through education and monitoring.</p>
<p>It is not that simple, but the treatment continues to improve every day and there is no reason that one with diabetes cannot live a full and rewarding life. It just takes some extra effort. In this day and age, diabetics can even play strenuous sports; they just need to monitor their blood sugar throughout the course of the event. I would also recommend a pump; they are not perfect, but they are a godsend.</p>
<p>I think I would look specifically for schools with a pediatrician <em>on staff</em> rather than <em>in town</em>. I know of one boys school in particular with an MD that lives on campus. </p>
<p>Maybe I am a bit paranoid, but I have a close friend with a diabetic daughter, now 18.</p>
<p>I think a lot of the issue with the diabetes is the monitoring of blood sugar and consistency in administrating medication. </p>
<p>A couple of questions here, that you may want to consider. I'm not sure how the diabetes will be managed. Depending upon the technology employed, the testing/med managment could be quite simple. I have friends with modern insulin pumps programmed where it reminds you to test, you put in the results and it automatically administers the right amount and mixture of medication. I believe they also keep some sort of history, so that an educated review can be made and adjustments to medication and diet can take place.</p>
<p>If you have such a setup and your son does a good job of working with it, you can be confident that he will be OK at school, with minimal assistance from school nurses. If you are still fiddling with manually calculating and administering insulin and having frequent highs and lows, I'd recommend against sending your son away to school until things can run consistently for several months.</p>
<p>Much of it has to do with how well your son accepts the responsibility for keeping himself regulated. I knew a young hockey player in town who does a very good job (so his parents told me) of managing his diabetes. He is aware of his food and exercise and how he feels and manages his testing and pump. He has been doing it for a number of years, though.</p>
<p>I agree with the others that it should not be an issue with admissions. I would however, ask if the school has had other diabetics through and how they work with them. It will give you the peace of mind you will need.</p>
<p>One of my best friends at school has diabetes and she wears a pump - she seems to be handling it well. She always keeps a caprisun next to her bed, and checks her blood sugar throughout the day. She hasn't had an episode in her two years here. Also, there is a 24/7 health center with a doctor on call.</p>