Letter signed by health care provider to the College Board support accommodation
for the SAT, AP, etc.:
Re: [Child’s name],
Please find below information to support the Student Eligibility Form for
Accommodation on College Board Tests based on Medical Disability for Type I
Diabetes.
1. State the specific disability, as diagnosed:
Type I diabetes mellitus; requirement for disease management including blood glucose
(sugar) testing and management of insulin pump and insertion site.
2. Current status
[Child’s name] has Type I diabetes, which is a chronic disease without remission. Type I
diabetes requires testing of blood sugars and administration of injected insulin multiple
times a day, both scheduled and on an as needed basis. The patient was last seen in the
[Name clinic or doctor ] on [date]. At that time her blood sugars and hemoglobin A1c
were consistent with the diagnosis of diabetes. She attends the clinic 4 times a year for
follow up and medical management.
3. Provide relevant educational, developmental, and medical history
The patient was diagnosed with type I diabetes in [date of diagnosis], at which time she
presented to the hospital with a blood glucose over 500. The patient is currently managed
with insulin administered via insulin pump. She has had a school medical treatment
plan in place since that time, and currently has a 504 plan to educational
performance due to her medical condition, as well (see attached).
4. Describe the comprehensive testing and techniques used to arrive at the
diagnosis:
Diagnostic criteria for type I diabetes includes
5. Describe the functional limitations
The student’s medical condition requires that she is able to manage her diabetes by
frequently testing her blood sugar, and modifying her insulin dose and food intake. In
some cases she may need to change her infusion site. Immediate response is essential
to stabilize functional performance and ensure both short and long term health.
These are all medically required activities that take away from test taking time and must
be addressed immediately. Additionally, careful management of blood glucose is
essential because hypo- and hyperglycemia are associated with decreased cognition (see
references below).
6. Describe the specific accommodations requested
The student is NOT requesting extended time, but rather to have frequent and/or extended
breaks, if needed, as dictated by her medical condition and specific blood glucose
measurements at the time of testing. In some cases it can take 20 minutes or more for
adjustments to take effect.
7. Establish the professional credentials of the evaluator:
M.D. or
Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner or
Certified Diabetes Educator
Sincerely,
Health Care Provider’s Name and contact info
References
McAulay V, Deary IJ et al.
Effects of acute hypoglycemia on motivation and cognitive interference in people
with type 1 diabetes
J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2006 Apr;26(2):143-51.
Warren RE, Frier BM.
Hypoglycaemia and cognitive function.
Diabetes Obes Metab. 2005 Sep;7(5):493-503.
Cox DJ, Kovatchev BP et al.
Relationships between hyperglycemia and cognitive performance among adults
with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes Care. 2005 Jan;28(1):71-7.
Sommerfield AJ, Deary IJ, Frier BM.
Acute hyperglycemia alters mood state and impairs cognitive performance in
people with type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes Care. 2004 Oct;27(10):2335-40.