Interesting blog about a diabetic kid's experience on a DCL cruise

[sayhello]

I read this interesting blog about what the Mom has dubbed a "Disney Diabetes Disaster".

https://beyondtype1.org/disney-diabetes-disaster/

I really feel bad for her son. It isn't an easy thing living with Type 1 diabetes, and it's sad that DCL made it worse for him.

Sayhello

 

[Disney_traveler]

I dunno. While I understand the situation it sounds to me like they want it to be treated the same as an allergy (same importance as kids allergic to skittles) and then not (no candy).

Maybe the clubs just need better training and hadn't experienced it before?

Maybe the clubs have a problem with kids having items for medical purposes and other kids talking them into sharing and encountering an issue?

 

[DLgal]

Who in the world is allergic to Skittles??? It's just sugar, for the most part. That's BS

 

[mmouse37]

Who in the world is allergic to Skittles??? It's just sugar, for the most part. That's BS

I know people who are allergic to the dyes in many products. I also have 2 nieces and nephew with Type 1 so I see both sides.

MJ

 

[_auroraborealis_]

She cites the ADA, but legal precedent is pretty mixed on if foreign flag ships docking in US ports are required to be compliant. Case law is mixed and even where it says "yes" the conditions are poorly defined.

It seems like accommodation shouldn't have been difficult, but we don't know if there were conflicting accommodations required -- i.e., if they had someone with a dye allergy, balancing that with the diabetes without disclosing both issues could have been the underlying real issue.

 

[DLgal]

I feel bad for this kid and the mom. But, I have two special needs kids and agree that DCL isn't "all that" in accommodations for them, ESPECIALLY in the kids club. They need a LOT more training than they get.

 

[elvispursley]

I am appalled! I, too, have type 1-diabetes, and it is NOT an easy thing to live with, and I'm an adult. I cannot imagine how embarrassed this young man felt to be singled out for something he can't control (most kids at that age find it so enough as it is anyway). What makes this worse is that the mother asked all the correct questions when booking and was given the wrong info. I am disgusted with how DCL mismanaged this poor family! At the very least, they owe her a telephone call with an apology. The CM in the kids club needs some education/re-training IMMEDIATELY in what it means for a diabetic to have hyper- or hypoglycemia as both can be life-threatening in the life of a diabetic and I'm sure they must get more than 1 diabetic cruiser to the kids clubs.

 

[DLgal]

I know people who are allergic to the dyes in many products. I also have 2 nieces and nephew with Type 1 so I see both sides.

MJ

I'm going to go ahead and assume that if a child has a dye allergy, he/she won't be participating in the slime making activity (isn't it colored bright green?)

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I'm going to go ahead and assume that if a child has a dye allergy, he/she won't be participating in the slime making activity (isn't it colored bright green?)

You're assuming an allergy to all dyes, and most dye allergies are actually to specific dye components that tend to be color specific.

 

[DLgal]

You're assuming an allergy to all dyes, and most dye allergies are actually to specific dye components that tend to be color specific.

Ok, but do you really think the DCL kids club counselors are going to research the specific dyes they use to know what "components" are in it and then cross check with a child who has a dye allergy? I mean, seriously? They are obviously not interested in learning the nuances of different issues as demonstrated by the linked blog. If a kid is flagged as "allergic to food dyes" that kid won't get to do the slime activity if said slime is colored with food coloring. Maybe it's colored with something else, I don't know. But still. They just don't get that deep into anyone's issues and they paint everything with such a broad brush to cover their behinds.

 

[wilkeliza]

Very sad how it was handled. I understand allowing no outside food (that really is what the allergy issue is if they say yes to skittles for type 1 some parent will try to say their kid needs peanut butter cookies for their special need or whatever) but the proper thing should have said oh I'm so sorry we can't have food but if you go low we can get you apple juice. We'll just keep your bag up here this time though. I don't understand why off shore didn't tell her that it wasn't allowed but to please stop by on the first day and request apple juice for him in the event of an emergency low or something.

This is one of those cases where everyone really dropped the ball.

 

[quickcat]

I have TWO children that are type one diabetics. We have been on 11 cruises with Disney and never have not received the chocolates because of it. I am assuming that person who cleans the room took it upon themselves to not leave the chocolate, which was wrong. I do think leaving the Apple juice was a good alternative. Sounds like it was miscommunication, which is too bad. We've never had a problem leaving a snack with the front check-in staff.

 

[DLgal]

Why couldn't they just keep the Skittles at the front desk and let the kid come get them and eat them right there if he needed to. TBH, this would be a situation where, if it was my 12 year old child, I'd just have him keep the Skittles in his pocket and tell him to go eat them in the bathroom if he needed to. Sometimes, you just have to break stupid rules. It's like the "zero tolerance" rules at schools that don't let kids carry Tylenol or Advil or even chapstick! Whatever. Sometimes rules go too far an punish people who don't deserve it.

 

[cruiser21]

My dh is type 1. He carries around sugar tabs. It's not that easy to carry around cartons of apple juice. He knows when his blood sugar is going low and the tabs are readily available, and crisis is easily averted. If a diabetics blood sugar gets too low they're are not always capable of asking someone for apple juice. I've seen my dh dazed and confused too many times. It really is a medical emergency. Once a person is unconscious then you need the medical team to start an IV and administer glucose through the IV. If skittles is what works for the kid then he should have them with him. I agree with pp just put them in your pocket and don't say anything.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I wonder if another parent had identified their child as having a severe allergy, which made the CMs vigilant about the skittles. But, yeah, an alternative should have been put in place. I also wonder if the mother confirmed her child's medical status and needs when dropping him off or just assumed all would be well?

It's a shame and yeah, that boy will remember for the rest of his life about how he was excluded. As he hits the teen years, this could affect his decisions. I knew a family where one of the teens just decided she hated being different and lied about taking her insulin. She just pretended she didn't have Type 1... until she hit the emergency room. She was lucky to live through it, but the mental stigma was that great that she made some very bad decisions.

 

[cmph]

I'm shocked they don't have standard protocol in place for Type 1 kids. I'm truly surprised. I mean, not every kid is going to use the same food/drink at home for a low, but it seems like DCL could have some basic protocol already set-up with the juice so there is zero confusion.

I'm not surprised at all that they nixed the Skittles though. That's a pretty easy thing to accidentally drop and lose track of, so probably makes them particularly paranoid. My 8yo has outgrown his food allergies but I can still remember our ped telling me that the most common accidents were from little kids picking random things up and putting them in their mouths, and the parents have no idea b/c we're just not close enough to the ground to notice all the things they do!

I'm sure the room steward thought he was being really thoughtful, though... but that does really stink for the boy. I would have just educated the steward, myself, and I'm sure he would have brought a pile of chocolate once he understood. Quite a different situation from the kids' club debacle.

I feel for that kiddo. Such a tough age, you just feel everything so enormously.

 

[QuidditchChick07]

That's sad. I feel bad for the kid, but at the same time I feel bad for the crew stuck in that position. Think about it this way. What would have happened if that boy had gone into a low blood sugar event and the skittles didn't help for once? Or they did offer the apple juice, but it didn't help either? Or some kid was allergic to even the dust from the red dye in the skittles bag and had a reaction? Or he dropped the skittles, some kid got one, and choked on it? Because they were in the care of the Oceaneer's Club crew, they would have gotten blame for it, even if it was unwarranted. That's a lot of pressure to put on a couple of cast/crew members that barely make any money.

Does that mean they don't need better training? No, there need to be set in stone measures and protocol in place for T1, obviously. I'm a bit shocked they aren't better laid out. It's just kind of a sucky situation all around.

The chocolates thing is asinine though. Let the room guests figure out what to do with those chocolates. I'm sure he/she was just trying to be helpful, but that's not their place to decide that.

 

[wilkeliza]

I'm not surprised at all that they nixed the Skittles though. That's a pretty easy thing to accidentally drop and lose track of, so probably makes them particularly paranoid. My 8yo has outgrown his food allergies but I can still remember our ped telling me that the most common accidents were from little kids picking random things up and putting them in their mouths, and the parents have no idea b/c we're just not close enough to the ground to notice all the things they do!

I totally get that. One of the worst days as a CM was watching a little boy being rushed into an ambulance backstage behind Norway. His mom was sobbing and just saying they never saw it. Guess he had an allergy and put one of those nut shavings from the Norway bakery into his mouth that he found on the floor. Kids skin was starting to crack from swelling so much. Never could get an update on the little guy. I know it is for privacy reasons but I still think about that little guy when I hear people complain about people with allergies or say they are faking.

 

[Toon crazy]

We are going on our first Disney cruise this May. My DD is type1 so this was very informative. I will definitely educate anyone on the cruise who may need it. We weren't experts until it entered our lives, and even we still learn things everyday.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't know why she told the staff that he was bringing stuff. Bring it onboard in original packaging, then once you get to the stateroom open it up, stuff a few in your pockets, move on with your life. They don't check the kids at the door.

The person shoreside has NO clue how it's being dealt with on the ship.

Did she ask him why/how the counselor came up to him, once he had the lab coat on, to talk to him about the Skittles? What was he doing at the time?

Yes the Disney CMs there go a little crazy. The first DCL sailing we went on I told them that DS can't have corn syrup and he's vegetarian. They called *our room*, the ONE day he wanted to eat there, to "make sure he's vegetarian". Why? Because he wanted a cheese sandwich but for some reason this item, which THEY made and were offering, was highly suspect because they didn't know if he was vegetarian or not. We were not in the room. We had the wave phones. They called *our room*. He went hungry that lunchtime.

Other times he's been in there over mealtimes, he hasn't wanted to deal with it (he doesn't get angry at himself, he gets angry at THEM), so he just ignores the food stuff. And they have made all the children go into the lunch area, sit down, and eat or just sit while others eat. We have fed him before dropping him off, they don't listen, and have made him sit. He has grown tired of not being trusted.

Too bad the blog lady hadn't read my posts about it.


There were a LOT of questions to be asked right there on the ship (of her son and of staff since she decided to not let her son make his own decisions). When the attendant told her about the chocolates, right then, right there she should have mentioned that chocolates were perfectly acceptable in their room.

Of course, then they'll get confused and leave chocolates for other diabetic guests and get yelled at for that.

Until "diabetes" is defined in ONE way, and they rename the kind that doesn't get put under "diabetes", and we get different names for WILDLY different diseases, we're going to have to deal with this. When DH is eating corn syrup, he has type 2, and if he goes high he has to wait it out b/c he doesn't take insulin. A type 1 person can eat corn syrup (and in fact purposely USES what is poison to DH and (we've figured out) DS (and also my MIL...there's a heavy genetic component IMO) to take care of lows), and if by chance he goes high he has insulin. Vastly different diseases. It's 100% understandable that a random stateroom attendant isn't going to know the ins and outs. That's why it's important for anyone with an issue to SPEAK to the attendant about things.

It's a shame and yeah, that boy will remember for the rest of his life about how he was excluded.

Or he might remember how his own mother went over his head, after he made his decision (to just go to Edge), to make a big deal about it all. To the point where he was brought to tears.

My son is 12 and is VERY good at letting me know when he wants me to take something further and when he doesn't. When he said that he didn't get to eat b/c we wouldn't confirm that he's vegetarian (I'm still so confused by that), we started feeding him before he went. When he said that he had to sit there and watch others eat when he was full, we stopped dropping him at times when food might be given. He's pretty clear that he can work things out, and if he doesn't want to take it further we should drop it, too.

And like I made mention of above, my son (who can't have skittles or starbursts...both of which have corn syrup and starbursts have gelatin, too, AND they have colors, which we think he's sensitive to, too) doesn't get angry at himself for having an issue. Since he was *3* he just gets angry at the companies that do silly things. He gets angry that corn syrup exists and especially HFCS. He gets irritated about food dyes, especially after we saw the labeling of food dye in Ireland, where they are quite clear that it goes along with hyperactivity in children. He gets angry at the Disney CMs who ignore the kids until they step in in inappropriate ways. He doesn't get angry at himself.

Maybe this kid is more like my kid.