The First Travel With A Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Child

 
If you have diabetes and you love to travel, or your child, family member or friend has diabetes, you will know that traveling with diabetes comes with its own special challenges.

As I write this, I have visited over 20 different countries across four continents with my son. He was diagnosed with Type1 Diabetes at 18 months old.

Before he was born, travel was always a big deal for my husband and I. And after our son was born, we knew that our love of travel and learning from those journeys should not change just because we had a child.

But when diabetes came into our lives, that idea was challenged.

Halfway Around The World ­­– 2 Months After Diabetes Diagnosis

 
Our very first trip was a long one – halfway around the world two months after my infant son’s diagnosis. At that time, we could not find a doctor where we lived who was specialized in Type 1 Diabetes. I am happy to say that this environment has changed drastically since that time, but back then if we wanted to learn more, we had to look abroad.

After some research, we headed back to the US (from Dubai) to a children’s hospital where I was educated by some of the best diabetes experts. Making this journey forced me to face my fear of traveling with a child with diabetes.
 

Plan A, Plan B, Plan C!

 
Despite being armed with a ton of new information and an insulin pump, returning home to Dubai was still incredibly stressful.

But that initial trip was a blessing in disguise. It forced me to face my fear. Had I waited, it would have likely taken me much longer to decide to start traveling again.

And if I am honest, for our first few trips, every time I started to pack our bags, I would have a certain level of fear as I tried to remember “everything”. I would try to predict everything so I could pack for my Plan A and have several back-up plans in place in case Plan A failed, for example, if the supplies within my Plan A were not enough or got lost. I had a plan and supplies for a Plan B and even a Plan C! It was mentally exhausting.

As stressful as the preparation felt, travel was something that still brought a lot of joy and happiness into our lives. The good news is, the more you do it, the more confident you will become and the easier it will get!

So, travelling. Let’s first start with what is in my bag. Or should I say, what is NOT in my bag?

Packing For A Trip With A Child With Diabetes

 
When packing for a trip with a small child, it seems there are so many things to take.

I was relieved after we passed the toddler phase and no longer needed to worry about diapers, baby food and all the other little bits and pieces to travel with. That, in addition to diabetes supplies, was quite the bag.

On a daily basis, diabetes does not always need that much stuff outside of the backpack we carry around town, but when we travel, we do take more to try to be as prepared as possible.

So what’s in that luggage? Some of the major things include:

Insulin Pump Equipment

Insertion Sites And Insertion Site Covers

I always take more insertion sites than I need. And even back-up for the back-up.

There will be those times when for whatever strange reason, you will miss and the cannula will not go quite in, so you might find yourself inserting another one, or two. It is rare, but I when it happens, you do not want to be without supplies.
 

Reservoirs And Additional Connectors

Not everyone may use a pump with tubes, which is great. Just whatever type of pump you use, make sure you have enough supplies for the number of days you will travel, plus more.
 

Additional insertion devices

I carry one extra so that in the event that the thing that you use to insert your CGM or pump with breaks, you have a back-up.

Diabetes Supplies

Ketone Meter And Strips

Either the urine strips or those that measure from a glucose meter. Whatever you have is good. These are priceless.

In the event that a Type 1 gets sick and you have to go to a hospital, having these may save you hours. You can check for ketones right away, whereas foreign facilities may not be able to. You may have to wait hours for a lab test.
 

Extra Glucose Meters

Extra glucose meters in case something gets lost. I often have one in my carry on and one in the checked luggage. I do not suggest going out and purchasing new meters. If you have any extras that you received at diagnosis as we did, this is the best use I have found for those extra meters.
 

Extra Lancets

I probably have more lancets than I will ever need in my carry on and others packed in different luggage.
 

Medical Tape

If you use insulin pump and/or glucose sensors, bring your favorite medical tape to help secure the sites while swimming or walking around in hot, humid climates.

One trick I have learned on the way is that after swimming in salt water, I find it helps to rinse the insertion site with fresh water right away. Otherwise, it is difficult to remove the cover and put the pump back on. I assume this is the salt making it stick a bit.
 

Extra Syringes

This is in the event of an insulin pump failure, or lost insulin pump. I found this most useful once in the days before insulin pumps were waterproof. The rest is a long story.
 

Glucagon

Obviously. I always take one glucagon in my carry-on, and at least one back-up in another carry-on. For the hand luggage items, I always think worst-case scenario. If it gets stolen in an airport, I need a back-up in another carry-on.

Diabetes Travel Letter

 
Carry a letter from your doctor about all the supplies that you carry – even mention the food and juice.

Most airport security staff have never asked for this, but a few do. And if they are flustered at the sight of all that stuff in your bag, pull that letter out and you might just be on your way more quickly.

Diabetes-Specific Foods & Drinks

Foods To Treat Hypoglycemia

 
When my son was smaller, we used to treat low blood sugar with juice. We still do that, but in order to make security scanning easier, and less annoying, I try to not bring any liquid (except insulin) if at all possible.

On the airplane, I typically use candy to treat a low. Not chocolate, but something that is pure sugar. I will sometimes buy juice at the gate after security if I feel we might need it.
 

Fruit Juices

 
I do put juice in our checked luggage to have in the hotel and sometimes with us when we are out and about. I have two types of juice boxes – one that is a higher carb (i.e. 22g) and another that is a healthier low-carb juice (12–14g). I bring two different ones and use them depending on how low the low is.

I do not pack so many because they add more weight to your luggage, and you can buy juice boxes in most places at a local market. I take enough for about two days just so I do not have to run out to the market in the middle of the night or first thing the morning after arrival to our destination.
 

Nonperishable Snacks

 
This usually consists of some of my son’s “go to” snacks that are around 15 carbs or so. Once we are settled, we encourage fresh fruits and vegetable snacks whenever possible. Since this is not always possible when on the go, we are prepared with what we know works for us. I find this especially important for smaller children who can be picky eaters. Bring what you know they like!
 

Breakfast For The First Day

 
This could be in the form of a snack bar, or a small box of cereal.

When we travel, my son is typically an early riser. A person with diabetes cannot always wait for breakfast to open up at a new destination. With jet lag and everything else, I’ll give my son a light breakfast or snack in the room if needed.

Again, I prefer to bring our own snacks, as hotel mini bars are usually full of things that would not classify as healthy snacks or breakfast.
 

Hydration Drink Or Powder

 
Bring some kind of hydration drink – or the powdered equivalent is even better. In the event of dehydration and vomiting, it can come in handy.

I carry a pediatric hydration drink in powder form. If needed, you can mix it with water easily.

I also try to buy a bottle or two of water near the gate after security to take on the plane. Hydration is important, especially if blood sugars start to run high.

First Aid Kit

Medicine To Stop Nausea And Vomiting

 
In the event of a stomach virus, bad food or other nausea, this can be helpful.
 

Alcohol Wipes, Tissues, Wet Wipes, Hand Sanitizer

 
Good basics to have on hand.
 

Packing Back-Ups For Diabetes Supplies

 
I have all basic essentials in a carry-on, plus some across other carry-on bags, including all the insulin we will need for the trip. I have a back-up of everything.

I have one larger carry on that is on wheels. This one goes in the overhead compartment. We also have a backpack that holds our immediate needs and hypo supplies that we put under the seat in front of us so we can easily access those. If there is turbulence on a plane, or if you are on a train, it is so much easier to have that sorted before the ride gets bumpy.

Never check insulin, and always keep it in a safe, temperature-controlled place. If I am in a country where I have traveled to before, or I know that I can buy more insulin easily there, I may take less. It will really depend on my level of comfort with the place and how much we are on the go.

Bring a pack that stays cool to carry your insulin.

The Reality of Diabetes Travel – It’s A Lot of Luggage!

Does it sound like a lot? It is.

And you probably have more that you could personally add to this list because well, people with diabetes – no two are alike!

But I hope that this give you some inspiration for how to start to pack.

While we are quite used to this routine now, I long for the days of packing for a week with only a small amount of luggage, but I know that is not really ever likely. And if I am honest, I am probably not that efficient of a packer anyway.

Perhaps those carefree airport entrances only exist in movies.
 

Diabetes Travel Bloopers

There’s no end to the surprises that can pop up when traveling with diabetes, especially if you are a parent or guardian of a child with diabetes. It is usually when it is most inconvenient. In those cases, we do our best. We deal with it and learn from it.

We cannot predict the future, so it is impossible to manage our way out of all of it. The bigger the unexpected incident, the more we learn, and the more confident we have become for the next trip.

We have had our share of diabetes travel bloopers. I have left insulin behind in other countries, we have had stomach viruses, bad insulin, and insulin pumps submerged in the sea, just to name a few.

And while some of these were quite challenging at the time, we got through them. As we did, my son learned some valuable lessons in managing whatever diabetes throws at him. I hope that these incidents will prepare him for when he wants to travel without his parents, as he gets older.

Traveling With Diabetes Is Worth The Effort

If you love to travel, or are curious to travel, never think that diabetes can stop you or your child from doing it.

It all sounds stressful and scary, but honestly, most trips are pretty uneventful in a diabetes context. Prepare for the worst so you can let go and enjoy, knowing you are fully equipped to deal with the unexpected.

What I can assure you is that the beauty that you will experience, the people that you will meet and the memories that you will make are all worth the preparation and effort.