Follow the heartwarming story of Louis Davenport, a fourth grade student who receives medical care for his diabetes right outside of his school, resulting in significant improvements in his A1C levels.
Louis Davenport, 10, and Dr. Melanie Bryan, Washington University pediatric endocrinology fellow, celebrate his excellent A1C reading during an appointment aboard the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Healthy Kids Express Diabetes mobile unit while it’s parked outside his school, Independence Elementary, in Weldon Spring on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.Vanessa Abbitt
Louis Davenport, 10, gets a small blood sample collected by Washington University pediatric medical assistant Lynnell Patton aboard the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Healthy Kids Express Diabetes mobile unit while it’s parked outside his school, Independence Elementary, in Weldon Spring on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. The sample Patton is collecting is used to measure Davenport’s A1C levels.Vanessa Abbitt
Original article of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
WELDON SPRING — Louis Davenport left his fourth grade class at Independence Elementary on Wednesday and climbed onto a giant motorhome outside his school’s front door, where he now gets his recommended doctor visits for his type 1 diabetes.
Inside, a test measuring the average amount of sugar in in his blood over the past three months — known as A1C — revealed his dropped nearly a whole percentage point since his last visit.
“Dude, what?!” Dr. Melanie Bryan beamed, holding up her hand. “High-five!”
Louis’ mom, Brandy Davenport, 45, listened to the celebration on speakerphone. It was exactly what she hopes to instill in him as he gets older and more independent.
“You hear that, buddy?” she said. “It’s important.”
Louis, 10, proudly responded from his patient chair, “Yeah, I know.”
Nearly a year ago, St. Louis Children’s Hospital unveiled what it says is the nation’s first pediatric diabetes mobile clinic.
Two days a week, the Healthy Kids Express Diabetes Mobile Unit travels to area schools to care for the hospital’s patients with diabetes or diabetes risk.
The clinic-on-wheels is staffed by a full medical team and equipped with two patient rooms, a bathroom and all the technology and treatments needed to monitor and care for patients.
In addition to the medical staff, a dietician on the unit helps kids at risk for diabetes with individualized ways to improve their nutrition and increase their exercise.
The goal is to not only make it easier for families to make it to doctor appointments, which is critical to managing diabetes but also to help prevent children from developing type 2 diabetes, which has been on the rise.
Dr. Ana Maria Arbelaez, a Washington University endocrinologist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, said despite a half-dozen endocrinology clinics throughout the St. Louis area and significant advances in treatments, many patients miss appointments and struggle to maintain their blood sugar, especially families struggling with poverty.
“I think that more and more, it’s clear that one size doesn’t fit all and that we as medical providers have to be creative and innovative in how we can work with the community and patients to make sure that we’re improving their health care,” said Arbelaez, who serves as medical director for the mobile unit.
The mobile team works closely with school nurses, providing more than 300 with advanced training in identifying and caring for kids with diabetes for pre-diabetes. Nurses can call the team for expert advice when needed.
“I don’t think many people really realize what a huge role school nurses play in the day-to-day health of children with diabetes,” Arbelaez said. “It’s a game-changer if they (parents) have a good school nurse that feels confident in what they’re doing, has the knowledge to care for their kids and is a good partner in their care.”
So far, 10 school districts have partnered with the mobile unit to serve students, and Arbelaez said she hopes for more.
The 10 are Ferguson-Florissant, Ritenour, Riverview Gardens, Jennings, Francis Howell, Fort Zumwalt, Parkway, Pattonville, Normandy and KIPP St. Louis.
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