Preparing your child with diabetes for a safe and fun summer camp experience
3 essential tips on how to handle medication needs, hypoglycemia risks and more
Each summer, millions of children in the U.S. participate in summer camps. From overnight adventures to week- or month-long athletic activities, camp offers an exciting change of pace from the school year. But as a parent to a child with diabetes, you might wonder how your child can safely participate in summer fun without putting their health at risk.
As you know, diabetes management requires plenty of preparation — and it’s no different for summer camp. Camp is a departure from the normal routine. With increased physical activity and different eating habits, it’s important to ensure your child’s camp counselors and staff are educated about diabetes, necessary medications, the signs and symptoms of low blood sugar, and what to do should an emergency event occur.
Three top tips for camp prep
Once you’ve decided on a camp for your child, open the lines of communication with camp staff as soon as possible. Here are three essential tips to keep in mind to ensure your child’s diabetes management plan is maintained all summer long, from one activity to the next.
- Learn the capabilities of camp staff and resources so you can plan accordingly. A diabetes camp should have medical professionals with diabetes management experience and know how to handle your child’s medical needs. A traditional camp may require more advanced planning and diabetes education on your part. Work with your child’s healthcare provider to create a diabetes management plan to share with camp staff.
- Provide all necessary medication, supplies and information in case of an emergency. Educate camp staff about your child’s diabetes management plan and review each medication in their toolkit. Provide blood sugar monitoring supplies, oral glucose to treat low blood sugar and glucagon to treat a low blood sugar emergency.
- Ensure your child and camp staff understand low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), as well as signs to watch out for. If untreated, low blood sugar can progress to very low blood sugar (severe hypoglycemia), a medical emergency that requires immediate attention.
Signs of hypoglycemia can include1:
- Dizziness
- Shakiness
- Confusion
- Combative behavior
- Trouble answering questions
- Loss of consciousness
- Passing out or having a seizure
Talk to your child and camp counselors to ensure they recognize the symptoms of low blood sugar and identify who will carry low blood sugar treatments, or where they will be stored. Your child should also know who to go to if they need help, and camp staff should know what treatment to use and when. Make sure ready-to-use glucagon is always available to treat a low blood sugar emergency. It can be administered if your child has tried correcting with food or drink, or if they’re unable or unwilling to eat or drink, feel like passing out, pass out, or have a seizure.
Is my child at risk for hypoglycemia?
The American Diabetes Association and the Endocrine Society state that all patients with diabetes who take insulin are at risk for hypoglycemia — which is why the availability and use of glucagon is a priority2,3. Because low blood sugar can progress quickly and unexpectedly to very low blood sugar, keeping glucagon on-hand can provide a safety net for your child when they need it most.
Understanding glucagon treatment options
If you don’t have a prescription for glucagon, talk to your child’s doctor. Together, you can decide on the best glucagon formulation for your child. Keep in mind that ease of use matters, as glucagon is typically administered in a stressful, high-anxiety environment.
Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection) can be used the moment it’s needed. It’s also simple to administer — in a study designed to simulate an emergency situation, 99% of people used it correctly and can be administered in 2 simple steps.4,5 See full Instructions for Use.
Arm your child and their camp counselors with Gvoke HypoPen, the ready-to-use rescue pen anyone can administer with confidence.4,6
REFERENCES:
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. Hypoglycemia Emergency Care Plan. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/-/media/Files/Health-Information/Health-Professionals/Diabetes/health-care-professionals/Hypoglycemia_Emergency_Care_Plan
- American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 6. Glycemic Goals and Hypoglycemia: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025. Diabetes Care. 2025; 48 (Supplement_1): S128–S145. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc25-S006.
- McCall AL, Lieb DC, Gianchandani R, et al. Management of individuals with diabetes at high risk for hypoglycemia: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2023;108(3):529-562.
- Valentine V, Newswanger B, Prestrelski S, Andre AD, Garibaldi M. Human factors usability and validation studies of a glucagon autoinjector in a simulated severe hypoglycemia rescue situation. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2019;21(9):522-530.
- Gvoke HypoPen [instructions for use]. Chicago, IL: Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Meyer JM, Devona MC. U.S. Survey investigating gaps between patients and specialists in the treatment of severe hypoglycemia and impressions of the ease-of-use of liquid-stable glucagon for subcutaneous injection. Int Arch Endocrinol Clin Res. 2021; 7(1):025.
US-GVK-23-00041(v3) 5/25
Indication
GVOKE (glucagon) is a prescription medicine used to treat very low blood sugar in adults and children ages 2 years and above with diabetes.
Important Safety Information
- Do not use GVOKE if you:
-
- Have a tumor in the gland on top of your kidneys, called a pheochromocytoma because of the risk of a substantial increase in blood pressure
- Have a tumor in your pancreas called an insulinoma because of the risk of low blood sugar
- Are allergic to glucagon or any inactive ingredient in GVOKE. Stop using GVOKE and seek immediate medical attention if you experience any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction such as rash, difficulty breathing, or low blood pressure
- Before using GVOKE, tell your doctor about all the medicines you take and your medical conditions, including if you have not had food or water for a long time (prolonged fasting or starvation), have low blood sugar that does not go away (chronic hypoglycemia), or have a history of a skin rash called necrolytic migratory erythema (commonly associated with glucagon-producing tumors)
- The most common side effects reported in adults are nausea, vomiting, swelling at the injection site, and headache
- The most common side effects reported in children are nausea, low blood sugar, vomiting, headache, abdominal pain, high blood sugar, pain or redness at injection site, and hives
- Inform caregivers on the Instructions for Use of GVOKE, and symptoms of severe hypoglycemia, which include unconsciousness and seizures or convulsions
- Store in original container until time of use, and at room temperature between 68°F to 77°F (20° C to 25° C)
- You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088
Please talk to your doctor and see full Prescribing Information and Patient Information Guide for GVOKE.