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My husband is a Type I Diabetic that was diagnosed at the age of eight. We grew up in a very small community where it seemed that no one else his age had Diabetes. As a result, my husband spent many years trying to hide the fact that he was Diabetic, and was even embarrassed and ashamed of his situation. At that time, there were no real opportunities for him to "hang out" with other kids who shared his same experiences. We are now expecting our first child, and there is of course a chance that our baby could one day be diagnosed with Diabetes. I spent our years in high school watching my husband struggle with this horrible disease and wished more than once that he had someone he could relate to.

If given the opportunity, I would not hesitate to send my Diabetic child to camp. Of course, a camp designed just for kids with diabetes would be ideal, but I think just a regular summer camp for kids would be suitable as well. I feel that the experience does wonders for these children. If nothing else, it broadens their horizons and gives them a chance to feel normal. Most all camps for children have some sort of trained medical professional on staff to handle any sort of every day emergency such as broken bones and bee stings. These professionals have also been trained on how to take care of Diabetic children. A simple note from your child's physician explaining all medications is all that should be required.

Some time at camp would be healthy for the child. It gives them an opportunity to be a little more responsible for their own health and well being as well as a sense of pride in knowing they can take care of themselves. Plus, they will be required to share information about their medical condition with other people, even if it's no more than the camp counselors and the nurse. This is something that my husband really never learned to do, so instead he avoided it. And anyone who has ever been close to a Diabetic knows how dangerous it is when other people aren't aware of their condition. Being with other kids, and participating in all the activities is healthy for these kids too. So many aspects of their life are so grown up in regards to the responsibilities that they have regarding their health. They need some time to forget that this disease is ravaging their bodies, and they need to just play and be kids.

Not only is camp good for the kids, but for the parents as well. The parents need a little break, because caring for a Diabetic is truly exhausting. Trust me, I know. But the truth of the matter is, the parents will not always be there to take care of the child. At some point, the parents have to be able to back off a little bit and give the child control over his or her own health. Just the mention of this is enough to make most parents of Diabetic children nauseous with fear. But it's true. These kids need to learn how to take care of themselves, and sometimes that's just easier to do without mom and dad around. I wish that my husband would have been given this opportunity.

Camps can build confidence and life long friendships for all children and those with Diabetes are no exception. As a matter of fact, it may benefit them even more. It may be a little scary at first, but all the best things in life are. If you have a Diabetic child, I would strongly encourage you to look into the possibility of sending them to a good camp. It may be just what the doctor ordered.

Learn more about this author, Brenda Adams.
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