Diabetes and GAC - thoughts?

[jayandstacey]

Our Dr says "get the GAC - she goes through enough in her life"

But I don't like that. My DD5 wears a pump and after 4 years with diabetes, she generally has very few issues with anything. So I can't think of why we might need a GAC. I don't want one just to cut in line or get special seats.

Others have said "well, get one to hold and maybe you never use it. But at least you have it if you need it." I can understand this - but my question:

Type 1 diabetes in a 5 year old - when and how might a GAC be useful, and does that make it worth it to get one? We go early Nov, so I don't think heat will be an issue.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Not knowing a great deal about Type 1, I don't really see the need for a GAC.

 

[Hannathy]

I was a Diabetic educator and we worked very hard to convince parents, children ,schools and the public to not treat Diabetics with kid gloves and to let them have normal lives and do all the normal kid things and not need special accomadations so this saddens me. Why would she need the Gac? With the pump especially why would anyone not family even need to know she has diabetes. That must be a very Disney savy DR to bring up a Gac but he should understand its use bettter. A Gac IMO is for someone who needs special accomodations to visit Disney, your Daughter does not need anything special to enjoy anything at Disney and using a Gac when it is not needed is just going to lead to Disney getting tougher on issueing them.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would agree with Hannathy. I think you doctor may have been thinking that a GAC would give her FOTL privledges; that is only available to Make A Wish and/or Give Kids The World. The purpose of the GAC is to allow people with disabilities to have equal accomodations/enjoyment with non-disables and not be held back from this enjoyment.

 

[Selket]

We've been to WDW several times with William and have gotten a GAC for him because of his diabetes. He is 4 years old and pumping.

I did a long post awhile back to a similar thread but I cannot find it - the search engine doesn't seem to work for me.

I think first of all there is no need to get a GAC if you don't think you'll need one. You can get one at any point in your trip if you have problems. So perhaps you are best to wait until there is an issue affecting your trip. It is not something you need to prepare for before you arrive - you don't need a doctor's note, etc.

Hot weather has been our biggest problem - we had big issues with him running very high or very low (all day) last summer. He was 3 yrs old then and we did use it on occasion to get him through some of his favorites - on a short trip in July when we went to the CWD conference. We had a terrible time with him on our 2 park days - his numbers were very unstable for no obvious reason - high one day and low the next. The heat, stress for travel on a short trip and excitement was too much for him I think.

For other trips in April and May the weather was comfortable and his numbers were much more stable. With a few exceptions but I won't detail them here.

I highly suggest following a good tour plan like TGM. We have had excellent success with his information to minimize our wait times - both in lines and for waiting around for meals/dining. We also have done trips just to avoid crowds and the GAC is mostly unnecessary then.

There is no "one size fits all" solution for ANY disability or serious medical issue. And those used to dealing with their own diabetes as adults, as educators, or as parents who haven't had very young children with diabetes may not realize the extreme sensitivity the younger ones or newly diagnosed children (and others as well) can have to insulin, food, heat, exercise, mild illness and so forth.

Your doctor may well have misunderstood the point of the GAC. I think folks here too should be mindful in their replies that the GAC is for accomodations for a particular PERSON with a disease and not for a particular disease.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you go to the disABILITIES FAQs thread, you will find more information/explanation about what a GAC (Guest Assistance Card) is and isn't.

There is no "one size fits all" solution for ANY disability or serious medical issue. And those used to dealing with their own diabetes as adults, as educators, or as parents who haven't had very young children with diabetes may not realize the extreme sensitivity the younger ones or newly diagnosed children (and others as well) can have to insulin, food, heat, exercise, mild illness and so forth.

Your doctor may well have misunderstood the point of the GAC. I think folks here too should be mindful in their replies that the GAC is for accomodations for a particular PERSON with a disease and not for a particular disease.

Very good points, and I will only add one further explanation.
A lot of people think a GAC is given for a disability or diagnosis.
It isn't.
People sometimes will write to ask if their particular disability is one that is 'covered' by the GAC.
It isn't.
The GAC is exactly what it says it is, a Guest Assistance Card.
What it is meant to do is provide assistance or accomidation for needs that someone has related to a disability. That is the language that is in the ADA.
If your needs are met without any special accomidation, you don't need a GAC. If you have some needs that are not met by whatever is available to every guest, you require further accomidation and might benefit from a GAC. (that doesn't mean that every need can be totally accomidated)

As selket mentioned, you don't need to get one right away, and if you can't think of anything you need, it's best to wait and see what happens. If you run into some problems, you can always go to Guest Services and say, "we are having xxxxxx problem. What kind of accomidation can you provide to meet out child's needs?"

 

[SueM in MN]

And, because I have some thread hunting tricks I can use,
here are some past threads about diabetes and WDW:
Diabetics and GACs (started Jan 2006).
Insulin pumps and WDW
People with Diabetes and the meal plans
Living with Diabetes
Carbohydrate Counting Thread
Diabetes and eatinng at WDW

 

[Selket]

Thanks Sue for those links! I have to figure out what I'm doing wrong!

I think I know the OP from another board - nvadm?

I'll add that Zurg and his Wife have an excellent article on Disney with Type 1 Diabetes at http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/diabetes.htm

Though I do disagree with Zurg on one point he often makes - Your Diabetes WILL vary

 

[Bugsmom73]

Remember,come prepared for highs and lows and work around them. Do carry snacks, glucagon, and extra insulin with you as well as pump supplies. Plan to rent a stroller for your daughter in EPCOT and MK if needed, not because she has diabetes but because they are bigger parks, and 5 year olds will tire and they can get tiresome to carry. I don't think you would need a GAC but play it by ear.

 

[jayandstacey]

First - THANK YOU ALL for the kind words and sage advice. I will hold off and play it by ear - if things go haywire, we'll get the GAC but otherwise not.

a few notes to 'tie off' some things:

1. I would agree that either our DR was cavalier in his saying that we should get a GAC, or simply didn't know much about the program. I suspect the latter.

2. As some mentioned, diabetes isn't as debilitating as other diseases. But in my daughter's defense, it can get scarey. About a year ago, on a saturday, she had lunch, then ran around the yard, then a nap - about an hour later she was in a full-on seizure that lasted about 20 minutes. A combination of unknown factors (unusual food, excercise and schedule) conspired to make us lose control - and if any place has unusual food, exercise and schedule - it's WDW

3. We've planned much of our trip around minimizing risk factors - so we are going for 10 days (no commando style touring), we're going in Nov (less heat) and we'll bring the stroller. So in effect, we are writing our own GAC. Just wanted to see if there was anything I was missing before we left and ran into any trouble.

4. Selket - yeah, it's me. I haven't posted to NVADM in a while, but I think my wife does. Good to see you here too.

Insulin, glucogon shots, lancets, ketostix, meters, pumps, smarties, infusion sets, protein, batteries, water...and lots of drawing blood throughout the day to check sugar levels. We're prepared!

 

[jayandstacey]

If your needs are met without any special accomidation, you don't need a GAC. If you have some needs that are not met by whatever is available to every guest, you require further accomidation and might benefit from a GAC. (that doesn't mean that every need can be totally accomidated)

As selket mentioned, you don't need to get one right away, and if you can't think of anything you need, it's best to wait and see what happens. If you run into some problems, you can always go to Guest Services and say, "we are having xxxxxx problem. What kind of accomidation can you provide to meet out child's needs?"

And therein lies the rub.

The ideal special accomodation is something that many other places provide - carb counts on their food. Disney simply wont give up the information.

With that information, the concept of a GAC wouldn't even cross my mind. Without carb info, I'll have to at least know where the GAC desk is.

The connection in this - My DD5 gets insulin based on a formula where the biggest variable is the amount of carbs she just ate. If we have to guess, and we guess wrong enough in either direction, she begins to get dizzy, sluggish, etc - and the other variables (heat, exercise, protein levels, fluid levels) begin to also matter quite a bit. I don't see a GAC as a cut to the front - but maybe that she'd need a place to sit in the shade while we wait in line.

Disney just standardized the kids menus. I've seen some carb info floating around, but no official nutritional information. Requests to Guest Services have been sidestepped, ignored or answered with "if you have special dietary needs, we will accomodate you." - no, she can eat whatever - we just want to know the carb count.

I would MUCH rather have accurate carb info, just like McDonalds gives out, than worry about a GAC or not. I've never quite understood the resistance to providing this information.

Oh well. We'll figure out the counts by trial and error. But each error results in my DD getting nauseus and stumbling...

 

[Talking Hands]

We all get the same run around about carb counts. You will just have to estimate from the portions and stick to pretty plain food. I have gotten carb counts on a few things but that has been through people I know that work at Disney who did it unofficially for me.
Just travelling can mess up my contol. Was at a professional conference and crashed twice during the 4 day conference. Fortunately I was people who know I have diabetes and knew what to do and quickly did so.

 

[SueM in MN]

And therein lies the rub.

The ideal special accomodation is something that many other places provide - carb counts on their food. Disney simply wont give up the information.

That was why I included the information we DO have - a carb counting thread that quite a few people contibuted to and several others on eating at Disney and pumping at Disney.
I don't know why they won't give carb counts.
I'm also not saying that people are necessarily seeing a GAC as a cut to the front (it usually isn't). And I don't disagree with you that your child might need a GAC (in your case, the little bit of carb information they provide is not enough to provide the accomidation your child needs).
The one point I was trying to make though is that not all people with the same diagnosis require the same accomidation. Some might not need any at all and won't need a GAC. Some might need more than what is provided and will need a GAC to get their needs met.