Travel, Vaccinations and Child Health

Diabetes does not replace ordinary childhood healthcare. It sits alongside it, and letting the routine things slip is a common and avoidable mistake.

Immunisations should follow the normal schedule. Vaccines are not contraindicated by diabetes, and the illnesses they prevent are far more dangerous for your child than for other children. Do expect blood sugar to run a little high for a day or two afterwards if your baby develops a mild fever, and check more often around that.

Minor childhood illnesses need more attention than they would otherwise. Any fever or infection raises blood sugar, and small children become dehydrated quickly.

For travel, the rules are heat and redundancy:

• Carry all medicine in hand luggage, never in a bus hold or checked bag.
• Use an insulated pouch or cool box, without direct contact with ice.
• Take roughly double what you expect to need, split between two bags.
• Carry a prescription or doctor's letter — it eases airport security and makes replacing a lost supply possible.
• Find out where the nearest hospital is at your destination before you need it.

Also keep dental and eye checks on the normal schedule as your child grows, and tell every doctor your child sees — including dentists — about the diagnosis and current medicines.