Lesson 1: Creating a Diabetes Care Plan

What Is a Diabetes Care Plan?

A diabetes care plan is a written guide that outlines your child’s daily management, emergency steps, and important contacts. It ensures that any caregiver, teacher, coach, or medical staff knows exactly what to do to keep your child safe.

Think of it as your child’s safety roadmap — one that provides consistency and reduces anxiety for both you and your child. It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world.

Key Elements of a Strong Care Plan

Basic Information

• Child’s name, age, grade/class

• Parent/guardian contact numbers

• Physician/diabetes team contact

Daily Management

• Blood sugar check times and methods (meter/CGM)

• Insulin delivery method (pens, syringes, pump)

• Insulin-to-carb ratios and correction factors (provided by your care team)

Meals & Snacks

• Typical snack/lunch times

• List of approved/backup snacks

• Instructions for carb counting and dosing

Activity & Exercise

• What to do before sports, recess, or physical activity

• Guidelines for extra snacks during or after activity

Recognizing and Treating Emergencies

• Signs of low blood sugar + step-by-step treatment instructions

• Signs of high blood sugar + actions to take (insulin correction, water, ketone check)

• When to call parents or 911

Other Considerations

• Field trip instructions

• Sleepover/playdate notes

• Allergies or other health needs

Sharing the Care Plan

• At school: Give copies to the teacher, nurse, front office, and PE/sports staff.

• With caregivers: Babysitters, grandparents, and after-school coaches should each have a copy.

• Keep extras: One in the child’s diabetes kit and one in your car or go-bag.

Tools to Make It Easier

• Templates: The Brave Little Pancreas T1D Caregiver Kit includes fill-in-the-blank caregiver sheets and emergency cards. (Image to right is an excerpt from the kit)

• Digital Copies: Save a PDF version on your phone for quick sharing.

• Updates: Revisit the plan every few months or after any big changes (new insulin ratios, pump upgrades, growth spurts).

Quick Parent Tip

✨ A diabetes care plan doesn’t have to be complicated — it just needs to be clear. Even one page of instructions can give a teacher or caregiver the confidence to act quickly in an emergency.