Is Having Diabetes and Insulin Dependent Considered a Disability Legally?
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009 at
2:38 am
kitty asked:
I have a friend who was told her can’t get his driving permit or license untill he goes 2 or 2 whole years w/o a seizure from his diabetes. He is almost 18 now. He is insulin dependant. He has to take it after EVERYTHING he eats. I understand people will say “diabetes is a disease not a disability” but I beg to differ. A disease such as diabetes can also be a disability in alot of cases! I just need some other opinions on this.
I have a friend who was told her can’t get his driving permit or license untill he goes 2 or 2 whole years w/o a seizure from his diabetes. He is almost 18 now. He is insulin dependant. He has to take it after EVERYTHING he eats. I understand people will say “diabetes is a disease not a disability” but I beg to differ. A disease such as diabetes can also be a disability in alot of cases! I just need some other opinions on this.
Tagged with: Diabetes Insulin • Disability • People
Filed under: Diabetes
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Disability?? Only if you are stupid enough not to control it. Thank God someone is willing to protect others from someone driving with seizures.
What are you after the words Social Security Disability?
It can be a pain in the rear but controlled with education it is certainly not a disability in 99.99% of the cases.
most people can control their life and live a happy life…the seizure part is where the disabilty comes in..i had a friend who died because he had a seizure in his car and there was no one to help….i hope your friend can control his so he can enjoy his life…
My son is a diabetic. He is definitely not disabled. Your friend has to learn how to control his diabetes. It is really challenging but very do-able. Perhaps he can check with his doctor about switching to an insulin pump. They still require management, but instead of a shot, you dial up the required insulin and the pump dispenses it.
My son is 21 years old. He goes to college full time and works halftime. He goes an extended hiking trips requiring him to carry a full pack for weeks on end. He has worked as a camp counselor of BSA and currently works in a facility that cares for high risk youth. He has driven across the country several times for his jobs and vacations.
However seizures are incredibly dangerous if someone has one while driving and your friend is right to not drive until his diabetes is well under control.
If someone does not control their diabetes then as they age, they may develop problems that could make them truly disabled. You can develop nerve problems, and eye problems. Having diabetes is not a disability. Your friend can do anything he wants. He is protected from discrimination due to his diabetes in schooling and jobs. The only restriction that I know of is that he can’t serve in the military or fly a plane.
You’re right that there are elements of disability here. Especially if his hypoawareness is so low that he falls into comas that frequently. It might help to get his blood glucose stabilized, which a diabetes educator can help him do by analyzing his BG meter numbers and his diet. Once the DMV sees a pattern of improvement, they will be open to appeal his situation. All Type 1′s have to inject insulin every time they eat, that is just our life.
He should get a continuous glucose monitoring system to help him catch lows. It suprises me his doctor has not suggested that. There is no reason for him to have to suffer like this. Sounds like he needs a new doctor.
There are ways to control diabetes and live a normal life. I have had type I for over 20 years and I am not disabled, I have been able to do what I want in my life. I have had to make sure I had a good doctor and be willing to take charge of my diabetes care to make this happen.
Okay…I have Type 1 Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM). I have mine well controlled and I don’t consider my diabetes a “disability”, I consider it an extra thing to take care of in life. Diabetes becomes a disability ONLY when the person can’t do normal things in life, such as driving, living alone, traveling alone, etc. It’s considered a disability when you have amputations or blindness as well. Is his epilepsy well controlled? Is his diabetes well controlled from the few listings above? If you can say no to these two questions above, he probably doesn’t need his permit/license until he can get these two illnesses under control 100%. Good luck & God bless!
Actually, diabetes is a disability.
I only got diagnosed a few weeks ago with Type One and my mum had to fill out a Care plan and everything because it is seen as a disability. The only reason that is though is because you have to buy stuff that you wouldn’t normally have to if you didn’t have it. it doesn’t actually mean that he is disabled.