i hate pricking my fingers it hurts i was diagnosed with diabetes where i was 13 on my bday how fun more info on diabetes Travel Tips
Whether you're planning short day trips or a voyage of several weeks, thinking ahead will alleviate many problems, not to mention a lot of stress. Although type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes) requires extra work, you will find that virtually any trip or event you have planned is doable. So read on and prepare to have a fabulous family vacation.
Put together a support team
Discuss vacation plans with your doctors and other type 1 diabetes care providers to work out a tailored plan. As you probably know, any change in activity can affect blood sugar levels. For big trips, added excitement may cause lows, so you may want to consult your doctor for help with changing insulin dosage at such times. Also, ask your doctor for a letter explaining your medical condition and treatment needs, and get a prescription for insulin in case of an emergency.
Make any special accommodations for your child with type 1 diabetes well in advance of camp trips and other events. Speak to camp counselors, coaches, relatives, friends, etc. ahead of time to be sure you and/or your child will have enough support wherever you go. If you're not comfortable with the level of support, change your plans.
Pack extra supplies of everything you use to treat type 1 diabetes, and pack them in more than one bag, including a carry-on or purse. Make sure you wear your medical ID bracelet, or other medical identification, and let friends or family members know your itinerary.
Finally, you may also want to make reservations at restaurants to avoid long waits, and ask if they can provide you with nutritional information on their menu items.
Check blood sugar levels more often
In general, people with type 1 diabetes should check blood sugars at least six times a day as part of their regular routine, and more whenever their schedule changes. Heat and excitement are two factors that can significantly affect blood sugar levels. The more often you check blood sugars, the more easily you'll be able to anticipate and avoid problems.
The insulin pump is becoming more and more popular, as it provides quite a bit of flexibility in your routine while also eliminating the need for insulin injections. Kids are becoming "pumpers" at very young ages and immediately after diagnosis as the technology improves and word spreads. If you have a child with type 1 diabetes, ask your doctor if the pump is right for him or her and, if possible, speak to other parents about their experiences with their children or teens on the pump.
Beat the heat
People with type 1 diabetes may experience more low blood sugars in the heat, so take extra precautions. Dehydration can be a serious problem, whether or not you have type 1 diabetes, so make sure you carry water with you at all times, even when going to the beach or pool for the day. Most experts recommend drinking at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day in order to avoid problems, and even more if you're going to be very active.
Keep meters, test strips, and insulin out of direct sunlight and use insulated containers or ice packs, but be sure insulin doesn't freeze either.
Special considerations for amusement parks
If you are taking a child with type 1 diabetes to a major amusement park like Disney World/Land, the first thing you should do when you arrive is go to the guest relations office. Explain to the staff that your child has type 1 diabetes and must eat, check blood sugars, and/or take shots at specific times. Some of them will give you a pass that will get your family in the handicapped line for most rides, which will drastically cut the amount of time you will have to wait in lines. Bring a backpack with snacks, juices, water, and all your type 1 diabetes supplies. You may also want to pack meters and insulin pumps in waterproof bags so they don't get wet on water rides. If your child is relatively young, you can also rent a stroller for the day and stash supplies in there--and when she gets tired, she can rest in it, too.
Many parents also suggest making reservations for sit-down meals at amusement park restaurants before leaving for your trip. & Facts About the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF) is the worldwide leader in funding research to cure type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly and lasts a lifetime. JDRF sets the global agenda for diabetes research and is the largest charitable funder of and advocate for diabetes science worldwide.
JDRF's mission has been constant since it was founded four decades ago: to find a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Until a cure is found, JDRF is also committed to working tirelessly to develop new and better treatments to improve the lives of people who have type 1 diabetes and keep them as healthy as possible.
Today, people with type 1 diabetes rely on insulin to manage the disease. But insulin is not a cure, nor does it prevent the possibility of the disease's devastating effects, which can include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, amputation, and pregnancy complications. JDRF is dedicated to finding a cure for type 1 diabetes and removing the burdens and threats that the disease carries.
A Global Leader in Type 1 Diabetes Research
JDRF funding and leadership is associated with most major scientific breakthroughs in type 1 diabetes research to date. The Foundation remains a global leader in driving type 1 diabetes science forward by funding more type 1 research than any other charity. JDRF directed nearly $101 million to such research in FY2009, bringing its total research funding to more than
$1.4 billion since its founding in 1970. To ensure that it supports science with the greatest potential to produce results as soon as possible, JDRF has established a research review process that involves leading scientists from around the world, as well as lay reviewers who either have type 1 diabetes themselves or have family members with the disease.
Moving Discoveries from Bench to Bedside
JDRF is a leading catalyst for translating research advances into new treatments that can improve the lives of people with diabetes in the near term - and ultimately lead to a cure. In recent years, JDRF has driven a major increase in the number of new drugs and devices being evaluated in human clinical trials, funding more than 40 such trials in FY2009. JDRF has also helped spark new interest in type 1 diabetes science from biotechnology and major pharmaceutical companies; they will be crucial partners in bringing new therapies and cures to market.
JDRF research encompasses multiple areas, with the goal of discovering and developing new drugs and devices to cure, treat, and prevent type 1 diabetes. Areas of focus include developing immune therapies, replacing and regenerating beta cells, achieving tight glucose control, and preventing complications.
Efficiently Organized for Successful Results
JDRF is structured on a business-world model that efficiently and effectively directs resources to research aimed at finding a cure and developing new treatments as soon as possible. More than 80 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education. Because of its unwavering focus on its mission to find a cure, JDRF annually receives top rankings from independent sources that rate charitable giving. JDRF leverages its impact by partnering with academic institutions, governments, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, other disease organizations and foundations, and people with type 1 diabetes.
A Backbone of Dedicated and Active Volunteers
JDRF was founded in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes. Today, volunteers at JDRF's more than 100 locations worldwide remain the driving force behind the Foundation's success in advancing research toward a cure. Because of their personal connection to type 1 diabetes, JDRF's volunteers have a passionate and unrelenting commitment to the JDRF mission.
For more information, visit the JDRF Web site at
http://www.jdrf.org, or call 800-533-CURE.