0
0
0
0
It’s that time of the year again- American Diabetes Association (ADA) summer camps!
For most kids that have type 1 diabetes summer camps are are the highlight of their school break. For their parents, it is equally as unbelievable…
Camp can be a life changing experience for any child, but for kids with Type 1 diabetes summer camps are amazing. It is wild to watch all of these kids filter into one camp that have all of the same needs. These kids that live their lives with type 1 diabetes have a unique and never ending set of unique daily challenges to maintain normal glucose levels. Some kids have never met anyone else with type 1 diabetes before camp!
To have hundreds of them together doing the same thing is a really moving experience for volunteers, parents and the kids. Camp teaches them that they may have diabetes but they can do any activity they want with it, safely. It is so much fun that my daughter was already asking me to sign her up for next year a few minutes into our car ride home. She left camp more mature, better able to make decisions about her diabetes care and with a lot of email addresses of her new friends with type 1 diabetes.
For parents it can be a scary and liberating experience. Most people who have kids with type 1 diabetes are very Type A. Giving the control of taking care of their child’s blood sugars for the week can be really tough. Some parents are whooping it up- dropping off their child and heading to the airport for a “worry free” vacation once a year. With trained medical staff, doctors, nurses, etc. parents can have fun themselves!
Also check out the Diabetes Education & Camping Association for a list of camps near you.
Speak Your Mind