Disability Travel - And the plot thickens...;)

Some of you may recal I posted a few weeks back about getting my son an id to fly, he is multiply disabled but over 18 and we were unsure. Well we were successful, yay! But...cut to this Wednesday as son is diagnosed as a severe type one diabetic. My question is how does the tsa treat things like sharps(needles), insulin, etc. He needs several shots a day and may even require one while flying. Are there special rules for that too? thanks for any help anyone may be able to provide. We are flying out tomorrow but staying across from the airport tonight on a great stay and park free deal I got. The extra stress of carb counting, blood testing and making sure he eats on time made it well worth staying over tonight as our flight is early tomorrow.

thanks so much for any help anyone may be able to provide.

Some of you may recal I posted a few weeks back about getting my son an id to fly, he is multiply disabled but over 18 and we were unsure. Well we were successful, yay! But...cut to this Wednesday as son is diagnosed as a severe type one diabetic. My question is how does the tsa treat things like sharps(needles), insulin, etc. He needs several shots a day and may even require one while flying. Are there special rules for that too? thanks for any help anyone may be able to provide. We are flying out tomorrow but staying across from the airport tonight on a great stay and park free deal I got. The extra stress of carb counting, blood testing and making sure he eats on time made it well worth staying over tonight as our flight is early tomorrow.

thanks so much for any help anyone may be able to provide.

You sound like you are well prepared for this trip, I know you've worked hard on it from your previous posts. You should be fine with all of your supplies, just identify them to the TSA before going through and it should be no problem. You shouldn't have any problems administering insulin on the airplane either, and let the f/a's know if they can be of any help to you as far as providing you with juice etc.
From the TSA website:
Diabetes

Notify the Security Officer that you have diabetes and are carrying your supplies with you. The following diabetes-related supplies and equipment are allowed through the checkpoint once they have been screened:

Insulin and insulin loaded dispensing products (vials or box of individual vials, jet injectors, biojectors, epipens, infusers, and preloaded syringes;
Unlimited number of unused syringes when accompanied by insulin or other injectable medication;
lancets, blood glucose meters, blood glucose meter test strips, alcohol swabs, meter-testing solutions;
Insulin pump and insulin pump supplies (cleaning agents, batteries, plastic tubing, infusion kit, catheter, and needle); Insulin pumps and supplies must be accompanied by insulin.
Glucagon emergency kit;
Urine ketone test strips;
Unlimited number of used syringes when transported in Sharps disposal container or other similar hard-surface container.
Sharps disposal containers or similar hard-surface disposal container for storing used syringes and test strips.

You sound like you are well prepared for this trip, I know you've worked hard on it from your previous posts. You should be fine with all of your supplies, just identify them to the TSA before going through and it should be no problem. You shouldn't have any problems administering insulin on the airplane either, and let the f/a's know if they can be of any help to you as far as providing you with juice etc.
From the TSA website:
Diabetes

Notify the Security Officer that you have diabetes and are carrying your supplies with you. The following diabetes-related supplies and equipment are allowed through the checkpoint once they have been screened:

Insulin and insulin loaded dispensing products (vials or box of individual vials, jet injectors, biojectors, epipens, infusers, and preloaded syringes;
Unlimited number of unused syringes when accompanied by insulin or other injectable medication;
lancets, blood glucose meters, blood glucose meter test strips, alcohol swabs, meter-testing solutions;
Insulin pump and insulin pump supplies (cleaning agents, batteries, plastic tubing, infusion kit, catheter, and needle); Insulin pumps and supplies must be accompanied by insulin.
Glucagon emergency kit;
Urine ketone test strips;
Unlimited number of used syringes when transported in Sharps disposal container or other similar hard-surface container.
Sharps disposal containers or similar hard-surface disposal container for storing used syringes and test strips.


thank you so much galleywench, those are exactly the items I was wondering about. D'oh....the TSA site. I should have thought to check there...:rolleyes:. LOL, I'm just in a slight panic with the added new diagnosis of hte diabete so my brain isn't working. I have a friend who always says, how do you know you are living if your toes aren't hanging off the edge. Guess we know we are living. LOL :)

I wished you well on the TSA topic, but am happy to do so again. You are wonderful. I wish you and your son a happy trip.

Don't worry about the TSA.

I wished you well on the TSA topic, but am happy to do so again. You are wonderful. I wish you and your son a happy trip.

Don't worry about the TSA.

Awww :cool: many thanks for your kind words. There isn't a thing that could keep me from traveling with him, not fear of meanies with evil intent for planes, not what some consider too much governmental oversight, not even people's looks at him as he enjoys something a six year old might enjoy. Then those people win. :) If we keep traveling despite his illnesses, we win. We are making memories. I really believe you can read your kids millions of books but one of the true ways to expose them to all walks of life is travel. :cool: Whoops....blushing....stepping down off my soapbox...lol. I'm clearly suffering from prevacation high:rolleyes:

Many people won't admit it, but I am old enough to remember when disabled children were not sent to school and were never taken out at all. I have a very elderly cousin who absolutely swears that HER family has no illness and no disabilities. It is her own little creation of a perfect world that does not exist. Seizures run very heavily in HER and OUR family. Common as corn.

Every chance your son has to enjoy his life is a blessing. How he is treated and how he is related to is an indication of our character as a people and as a nation. The bad old days are (mostly) gone.

Travel well and let us know how it goes.

We are making memories. I really believe you can read your kids millions of books but one of the true ways to expose them to all walks of life is travel. :cool: Whoops....blushing....stepping down off my soapbox...lol. I'm clearly suffering from prevacation high:rolleyes:

What you say about travel is so true and it's wonderful that you're making that possible for your son. I hope you have a perfectly wonderful trip and that you run into no glitches at all. Teddy has a great mom :).

Bobette

Many people won't admit it, but I am old enough to remember when disabled children were not sent to school and were never taken out at all. I have a very elderly cousin who absolutely swears that HER family has no illness and no disabilities. It is her own little creation of a perfect world that does not exist. Seizures run very heavily in HER and OUR family. Common as corn.

Every chance your son has to enjoy his life is a blessing. How he is treated and how he is related to is an indication of our character as a people and as a nation. The bad old days are (mostly) gone.

Travel well and let us know how it goes.

You are so right about this. By and large most people are good but you be amazed at some of the prejudices that still exist.

However, this trip we didn't have a single hitch. Not tsa, not his health. It was perfect! His seizures stayed in check relatively and his blood sugars were nice and low. thanks for all your advice!

What you say about travel is so true and it's wonderful that you're making that possible for your son. I hope you have a perfectly wonderful trip and that you run into no glitches at all. Teddy has a great mom :).

Bobette

Well, Bobette, we had a lovely trip. My son smiled and laughed the entire time and we didn't even have a single drop of rain. Just about perfect!

I am so glad the trip was a success!

You worked so hard to make it so!

Where to next?

Well, Bobette, we had a lovely trip. My son smiled and laughed the entire time and we didn't even have a single drop of rain. Just about perfect!

I am so happy to hear this. That is wonderful. It's terrific that you were able to see him so happy. As oldpenny asked....where to next?

Bobette