Summer is almost here; are you ready? School will be out and the beach will be in.  Danger can be lurking, however, for you kids (and kids at heart) with diabetes.  Getting caught up in the fun of summer does not mean you have to sacrifice your health.  Check out these tips to make your summer is fun and safe.

• Drink your fluids! Heat and dehydration are stressful; this can cause an unexpected rise in your blood sugar. If you don’t like water, try some of the new sugar-free fruit drink packets that you can flavor your water with.  How much fluid do you need? Go for 8-10 glasses of decaffeinated beverages per day.  Don’t count your sodas!
• Be prepared for changes in your schedule:  always keep a snack on hand.  Pack a cooler when you travel and keep fruit, sandwiches, cheese sticks, yogurt, granola bars, and crackers with you so that you will always have something on hand if your meal is delayed or you are extra active.
• Use your sunscreen!!!  Sunburn is painful and can take a long time to fully heal, so the best advice is to avoid getting burned!  Sunburn is stressful to the body, so you may see a rise in your glucose levels with your burn and with prolonged exposure in the heat. 
• Consider taking some shade (umbrella) with you or have a pool or other water source to cool down in if you are in the heat of the day.  Wear a hat, T-shirt or cover up.  Better yet, plan you activities in the evening when the day has cooled down.
• If you have to eat fast food think small, and go for baked or broiled instead of fried. 
• Be prepared for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) ALWAYS.  Keep a close check on your blood sugar before and after activity, when your schedule changes, or during vacation.  Have a quick acting carb with you (glucose tablets, juice, packs of glucose gel, or jelly beans)
• Some summer day camps have you carry whistles with you in case you get into trouble.  If not, get permission to carry one.  Make sure that someone knows that you have diabetes and make sure they know how to treat low blood glucose in case you need help; share the signs and symptoms with them. 
• Always carry an ID card with you, and let someone know where you are going and when you are coming back if you are going to be out and about.  If possible use the buddy system and take a friend along for safety.
• Keep your insulin cool, but not frozen, by putting it in a cool place during the day. If you are traveling, don’t leave your supplies in the hot car; get a fanny pack or small back pack to take with you.  Put your insulin with a cool pack, but make sure you do not surround it with ice; you do not want the insulin to freeze.  Keep your meter out of the hot car as well.
• If you are an insulin pump user, take extra insulin and syringes in case your pump malfunctions on the road. Your pump may quit on you and you need to have a supply of needles and a bottle of insulin with you just in case.
• When traveling by plane, bus or train, have a doctor’s note as to why you need your supplies.  You will also need to make sure that you store your insulin in it’s original prescription box. 
• Care for your feet !! Wear shoes at all times, especially when you are swimming in the ocean; water slippers or swimming shoes, or use an old pair of tennis shoes, so that you are not stepping on shells or burning your feet on the sand.  The same applies for rivers and lakes.

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