Hashmi Health Care organized a diabetes learning camp for children

(prHWY.com) April 16, 2012 - Amroha, India -- We are busy planning schedules, activities, meals and recruiting medical staff and counselors to take care of children who will attend the camp.

Many kids with type 1 diabetes find a home at a camp made just for them. Kids participate in tons of outdoor activities including swimming, high ropes courses, boating, and all-camp games. Hashmi Health Care Dedicated counselor supervises all of their activities. Medical staff supports the kids by helping them manage insulin dosing and meal planning.

Kids meet and live with other kids with diabetes. They become friends --sometimes life-long friends. Some kids come back year after year to re-connect with old friends and to meet new friends. Kids grow from the youngest campers to become the camp counselors years later. The connection between these kids runs deep. As one teenager said: "I see my camp friends on Facebook all year, but when I see them on the first day of camp, I just scream! I am so EXCITED!"

And kids learn a lot of other things too; like paddling in a canoe, shooting an arrow in archery, going down a zip line, or tie-dying a t-shirt. Most kids end their day tired but full of stories of all the things they did that day. The days are full, building tons of memories.

The mission of Summer Diabetes camps specialized for children and youth with diabetes is to facilitate a traditional camping experience in a medically safe environment. An equally important goal is to enable children with diabetes to meet and share their experiences with one another while they learn to be more responsible for their condition. For this to occur, a skilled medical and camping staff must be available to ensure optimal safety and an integrated camping/educational experience.

Hashmi Health care Diabetes Management at Camp

During camp, a record of the camper's diabetes care progress should be documented daily. All blood glucose levels and insulin dosages should be recorded in a format that allows for review and analysis to determine whether alterations in the diabetes regimen are required. A record of the degree of activity and food intake may also be helpful in determining subsequent alterations in the diabetes regimen. It is imperative that the medical staff have knowledge about the exercise schedule and the meal plan at camp so that they can make appropriate insulin dosage adjustments.

The camp setting is an ideal place for teaching diabetes self-management skills. Education programs should be developmentally appropriate. Examples of educational topics suitable for the camp setting include:

* Blood glucose monitoring

* The importance of diabetes control

* Healthy lifestyles issues, including integration of healthy eating, physical activity, and relaxation

* Problem-solving skills for caring for diabetes at home versus camp

* Life skills for independent living

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