Fort Valley State University

A case of undetected diabetes can send a child into a coma. Wanike Shakespeare knows about the consequences of diabetes firsthand which is why, as a health and nutrition/mental health manager for Head Start, she encourages all parents to take preventative measures to fight this sometimes deadly disease.

“If you go look up the statistical data of how many young kids have diabetes you would be totally shocked,” said Shakespeare, who works at the Fort Valley State University-based Head Start. “We have to educate the parents as well as our students.”

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases among children in the United States. About 150,000 young people less than 18 years old — or about one in every 400 to 500 — have diabetes, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

In an effort to catch the disease early in children, Head Start at FVSU is adding a glucose test to their health screenings this year. The federally-funded organization is spending a week in September screening its 373 children ranging from 3 to 5 years old. In addition to diabetes, the children will be tested for obesity, sickle cell, anemia and other health issues.

DTI Laboratories, based in Thomasville, will be doing finger-prick tests beginning Sept. 5 and returning for several days. They will also revisit every 90 days thereafter to see if there are any changes in the results. There will also be random testing throughout the school year.

“Our goal will be to prevent any type of onset of any type of health problems,” Shakespeare said.

The long-term goal for the organization is to collect data that can be submitted to health publications and used for grant proposal submissions.

Most children look forward to getting the tests, Shakespeare said.

“We bring the lab into the classroom and children beg to get their fingers pricked because they’re going to get a sticker and a chance to talk to a health professional,” she said.

Head Start at FVSU was established in 1996 to deliver quality comprehensive services to low-income children and their families, including childcare and health services.