Child with Insulin Shock

[Ambassador]

We are just back from a visit, and last Thursday saw a distressing situation. On our way to lunch at the Brown Derby in HS, we saw a mother with two daughters sitting on a bench nearby. One daughter was clearly having a medical problem and appeared to be experiencing a seizure. The Mom explained the daughter was having a blood glucose low, and was trying to get her to drink a juice, but in her state could not swallow.
We asked if we could help, and she wanted emergency response ASAP. The other daughter was calling 911 on her cell phone. We ran into the Brown Derby and told the hostess the situation: she called the appropriate department. But that department wanted more information: the hostess had to go back to the Mom and ask a bunch of questions: the daughter's age, nature of problem, etc. This upset the Mom, who up until this point demonstrated a superhuman calm and determination. Moments later there was a large staff response, with all kinds of CM's: security, greeters and management; about six people. But apparently no medical staff. One security officer was perturbed and asked the other "what's going on here?".
We have never been involved in such a situation at WDW before, but were surprised at the seemingly confused response. God how I wished there had been a Glucagon pen or frosting tube handy! At this point the CM's were forming a ring around them and asked me to leave.
In the heat of the moment, seconds seem like minutes. Surely the staff has protocol for effectively handling emergency situations. Perhaps the family could have been better prepared. Maybe we could have done something better? I just hope the daughter is okay, and the Mom knows how great a parent and advocate she is.

 

[katml14]

Thanks for sharing this story. My 2 year old has type 1. It is important that people realize how dangerous and serious hypoglycemia (or, as OP called "insulin shock") is, and that it needs to be treated immediately.

Sounds like mom did a great job keeping her cool and trying to take care of her daughter. I don't know if she could have been better prepared- maybe she had glucagon but she kept it at the first aid station? It gets very cumbersome travelling with all diabetic supplies- test strips, needles, insulin, pump supplies, glucagon, sugar to treat a low... You mention having a frosting tube handy- could someone have gone and grabbed a cupcake and used the frosting from the cupcake? At this point, if the child was having a seizure she shouldn't have anything in her mouth, anyways.

I hope that the family was able to enjoy the rest of their Disney vacation!

 

[daneenm]

I feel for the Mom, as there is nothing worse than living through those minutes of severe hypoglycemia. It always seems like hours! I would say, as a parent of a 10 year old with T1D (DX at 20 months)...what the heck were they doing in the parks without emergency supplies?!?! Even if a glucose tab cannot be chewed, glucose gel or icing can be rubbed into the cheek and absorbed when glucagon is not on hand. Even sugar packs from HBD would have helped.

I cannot blame the staff for not knowing what to do. There are so many conditions that guests experience, if they knew how to handle each and every one, they would be doctors, not cast members. I think the WDW emergency dept. asked nothing different than 911 would ask. They need to know what to be prepared for.

This just serves as a great reminder to be over prepared. T1D can take us all by surprise at one time or another. Better to be inconvenienced by carrying a little more weight than to be caught unable to treat.

I hope the girl suffered no long lasting effects.

 

[visitingapril09]

Great reminder to me to carry Glucagon. We can so easily get complacent when our kids are stable that we aren't prepared for emergency's.

 

[daneenm]

ignore...pressed post once, but it posted twice...sorry

 

[Talking Hands]

I am an adult T1 diabetic and I agree it is better to carry a little more and be prepared. I always carry a tube of icing gel, some snacks and even a bottle of coke just in case I need it. You never know when you might go low.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We asked if we could help, and she wanted emergency response ASAP. The other daughter was calling 911 on her cell phone. We ran into the Brown Derby and told the hostess the situation: she called the appropriate department. But that department wanted more information: the hostess had to go back to the Mom and ask a bunch of questions: the daughter's age, nature of problem, etc. This upset the Mom, who up until this point demonstrated a superhuman calm and determination. Moments later there was a large staff response, with all kinds of CM's: security, greeters and management; about six people. But apparently no medical staff. One security officer was perturbed and asked the other "what's going on here?".
We have never been involved in such a situation at WDW before, but were surprised at the seemingly confused response.

I too am surprised at the confused response. I would have expected for medical staff to be dispatched without asking for any additional details. I wonder if the response would have been quicker with less information offered. Instead of giving them any details, instead answer every question with "we need an EMT now!" It seems because some general information was offered, they followed up with more questions and failed to grasp the urgency of the need.

How terrifying for the mother! I hope they were able to recover and enjoy the rest of their vacation.

 

[yarlenna]

I too am surprised at the confused response. I would have expected for medical staff to be dispatched without asking for any additional details. I wonder if the response would have been quicker with less information offered. Instead of giving them any details, instead answer every question with "we need an EMT now!" It seems because some general information was offered, they followed up with more questions and failed to grasp the urgency of the need.

How terrifying for the mother! I hope they were able to recover and enjoy the rest of their vacation.

OK, so the person doesn't ask questions. Then what? What if it is a minor problem? Who will pay for the unnecessary 911 care? If they send 911 for every fall or scrape - who would pay? Asking a few questions can make sure that the right stuff goes to the person who needs it. I know that people melt when they need help. The quick responders at Disney have some first aid training. There are also some nurses. They can be there in minutes. I am glad that somebody stepped up to help that mother and child. I am also glad that the cast-member asked the right questions that put Disney's emergency system to work.

 

[Singledad]

here is a counter story about emt/disney response. It was me, my dd (4), and two adult friends. my DD was too short, and one of the friends doesn't like space mt. So me and the other adult went on space MT. while the other adult and DD hung out near that spaceship looking mister connected to a snackhut.

DD apparently slipped, fell, and cut herself on something. adult asked for a bandaid at the hut, and next thing she knew there were EMT's and other CM's out to check over my DD. me and other adult got off ride and Saw DD and adult sitting with the EMT's and other CM's. one that had asked for bandaid was all like I just asked about a bandaid. So, I think it really depends on what you asked for. if you just asked for help, they had to ask more to know what type of help was needed. if you said you needed medical help, I am sure they may have responded sooner. Could also be that EMT's were not on that side of the park at the time and was busy running to get to where the girl was. we may never know.

what I learned was, next time, tell my friend I have bandaids in the bag. (although DD got a free minnie mouse and we all got a free ice cream out of it.)

and we all learn that we still need to be prepared for the 'worse' no matter were we are.

 

[Ambassador]

http://www.disunplugged.com/2011/08/18/411-for-911-what-to-do-if-an-emergency-happens-at-disneyland/

This is an excellent post, which answers many questions and offers advice for situations like what we encountered last February.

 

[buffettgirl]

Emergency supplies that all people with type 1 diabetes should have:

Glucagon (that's a no brainer), have it, carry it, don't be afraid to use it.
Frosting Gel - in case the child is so low but not completely unconscious - rubbing it inside their cheek often works.
Glucose tabs or other quick sugar, like juice.

I'm not blaming this mom for the situation - lows at Disney often come out of no where, but had she been prepared, this event could have been avoided.

 

[mackay_j]

Not always easy to be prepared, we have put stuff into lockers for biger rides in BG and US. On one time the locker jammed and it took 1hr, 45mins for someone to get it opened for us. Our DD insulin pump was in it along with her test kit, by the time she got it back she was very sick and ended up missing her Xmas diner at chop chop as felt oo ill to eat it. We only got the help we needed when I asked for a phone to call 911 as up until that piont each CM would come have a look then say they needed someone else and we would have to wait again. US management made up for it by giving us fast pass things for a future day, but by the time they got to this I was going up the wall! and didn't even say thanks as Xmass day was more or less ruined from that point onwards.

even harder to be prepared at the water parks- when you can end up far away from your stuff queuing in sun for up to an hour. Is there a GAC for water parks for use if queues are long. We have never needed tham in the parks for DD but have been thinking about it for the water parks, as she is on the insulin pump and will have to disconect to go on the rides, which causes problems if over about 45mins, also as with other diabetics she cannout take glucogen/ energy tabs/gel down the rides.

Any ideas for water parks

hope the kid was OK by the next day

 

[buffettgirl]

I would NEVER under any circumstances leave my child's rescue items in a locker - glucose tabs etc are easy to carry. If US makes you leave these items somewhere then I'm happy I don't visit US. Why would you need to disconnect a pump at the amusement park anyway? If you have to disconnect for a ride then you simply disconnect and keep the pump with you. I would also never an insulin pump in a locker - a $6000 piece of medical equipment. If your child gets ketones easily those are the days when you disconnect fully and do a shot of lantus for the day.

When we go to the water parks we carry a small water tight bag with glucose tabs and meter and we have never been questioned about carrying it down the slides. In our locker we put larger snack items if needed. We leave his pump back at the hotel in the safe.

It's easy to be prepared. Your child's life depends on it.

 

[Lisa71]

OMG...so sad and hope the child is OK. So, of course be prepared, but also be sure to complain, and loudly. I have many friends here at DLand in CA and they are supposed to send the nurse to assess the situation, or the EMT unit ASAP whenever requested, and not aska bunch of questions. That freaks me out. I have seen people after a car accident ask if they "really needed help". Yes, being upside down in a car is not fun. The hostess should have said, send someone now, and that is all! Give emergency supplies to your whole crew if Disney cannot come through, they can all help.

 

[mackay_j]

I would NEVER under any circumstances leave my child's rescue items in a locker - glucose tabs etc are easy to carry. If US makes you leave these items somewhere then I'm happy I don't visit US. Why would you need to disconnect a pump at the amusement park anyway? If you have to disconnect for a ride then you simply disconnect and keep the pump with you. I would also never an insulin pump in a locker - a $6000 piece of medical equipment. If your child gets ketones easily those are the days when you disconnect fully and do a shot of lantus for the day.

You should not give medical advice accross a forum incase someone uses it! My dd has an alergy to all types of insulin except rapid. She lost her sight for 2 weeks when long acting was first used on her- did something to the shape of her eyes- and infact the info insert for lantus had to be updated because of it . Others have since been tried (in hosp) but do a similar - but not as severe thing to her. Thats why she was one of the first kids in the UK to get a pump for free- she had no other option

When we go to the water parks we carry a small water tight bag with glucose tabs and meter and we have never been questioned about carrying it down the slides. In our locker we put larger snack items if needed. We leave his pump back at the hotel in the safe.
had ours removed the last time at blizard beach- checked with management and was told no way allowed on faster type slides


It's easy to be prepared. Your child's life depends on it.[/QUOT


Our insureance company have told us we must remove the pump before thrill rides as it could get damaged and would not be covered by insurance if we do not- the first time we went we just unplugged it and kept it on her - but have since checked our cover and on things like the hulk, etc it must come off and be put somewhere safe. And more importantly our pump rep has since said-the ride magnets can damage the programing and as a result wrong doses can be admistered after recon.

The time the locker jammed it was just her I (we do not let her ride alone incase the ride ever jams so that someone can check her and give her glucose tabs - always on us) but the CM would not hold the other stuff and thus the locker was used. The CM also wont hold in busch and Sea world - She was 16 so suggesting missing the bigger rides not an option that's why she there!

 

[buffettgirl]

it would seem that your particular situation is unusual, but I stand behind my assertion that your child's life depends on being prepared.

Further, I am not giving medical advice. You cannot get long acting insulin without a doctor's rx anyway, so...presumably your dr would know that you have some sort of (extremely) rare allergy to long acting insulin. Using lantus (or other long acting insulin) is standard practice for someone with type 1 diabetes, unless you pump. That's not medical advice. I offer no opinion on dosing or other medical items.

Again, it's easy to be prepared. Doing anything less, is just a cop out.

 

[mb187143]

Maybe I'm not reading it correctly, but I can kind of see how the response got so confusing - the mom was dealing with her sick child, and the other child was calling 911, and then a kind guest offers to help, but tells a cast member what he knows, and she's probably not properly trained, or could have been new, and now all concerned departments are sending someone along because no one knows exactly what attention is needed. I can see how it ends up as what the OP described. Not everyone handles emergency situations well, and while I would probably be concerned about it, I'm thinking this is not typical. We took a behind the scenes tour last year, and from what we saw, there is a plan A - plan X for every possible situation, and then some to back them up. I would hope that the cast members involved in the OP's post were given some additional training for emergency response procedures, but I've always found Disney CMs to be overly responsive, as opposed to confused.