News

Diabetic must change schools to beat ban on sniffer dog

MAR 13, 2007

By Debbie Guest

A ban by Calista Primary School on a dog that alerts student Corey Charles to when his diabetes is about to spiral out of control has led to Corey being educated at home and enrolled in a private school.

Tracey Charles said she had spent $50 on maths and English correspondence lessons so her 11-year-old son could keep up with schoolwork because he needed to be with dog Oscar at all times. This was so the two could bond and Oscar could learn to alert Corey to potential hypoglycaemic attacks.

Mrs Charles has been teaching Corey at home since he got Oscar from the Eastern States a fortnight ago and Calista Primary School barred the dog.

Mrs Charles complained to the Education Department but now has decided to send her son to Peter Carnley Anglican Community School.

Principal Peter Martin said having Corey at the school would be a huge benefit because students would learn more about diabetes and become more accepting of children with different needs.

Mrs Charles said it would be difficult to find the extra money needed. "But my son's education is important and we will try our best to find the money," she said.

Whippet Oscar has already alerted Corey to five potential hypoglycaemic attacks and is one of two dogs brought to WA by charity organisation Paws for Diabetics.

While scientists have no conclusive explanation for the dog's potentially life-saving ability, it seems it is able to sense the change in Corey's chemical make-up before he has a hypoglyaemic attack. These attacks, if not treated, can lead to a coma.

Calista Primary School objected to Corey having Oscar at school for several reasons, including that students might be allergic to the dog and that Corey's current diabetes treatment was effective.

Source: The West Australian