adt - The game of life
A total of 32 children have participated in this year's edition of the Colony of the Tenerife Diabetes Association (ADT).For five days they have carried out numerous recreational activities and nutrition workshops that help them distribute carbohydrates.The last day they made a gymkana.
The Colonia for Diabetic Children of Santa Cruz de Tenerife of 2009 ended yesterday, after five days of fun.A total of 32 children aged eight to 13 years old from the island of Tenerife participated in this edition, although three palm trees and a Grancanario also attended, according to Fran Darias, manager of the Tenerife Diabetes Association (ADT) responsible for these colonies.
In these colonies, declared of health interest by the Ministry of Health, educational and leisure activities are mixed.They are offered nutritional education about the distribution of rations and carbohydrates, as well as information so that they know how to act in acute complications such as hyper and hypoglycemia.They also received physical exercise and first aid workshops.
On the part of the leisure, the organizers of these colonies organized three exits to the Teresitas with beach activities.Last Thursday, for example, children had a baptism of canoeing.
They also enjoyed an exit to the TEA, where they participated in practical workshops taught by personnel of the Cultural Center.
On Monday afternoon, as an end of the party, they participated in a fun Gymkana, and then chose dinner.Darias explained that during the entire camp there are children made six meals a day and always took dessert fruit.
However, the last night they let them choose dinner and touched the popular homemade pizza (without excessive fat) and, dessert, sugarless ice cream.
About 12 professionals have taken charge of the care of these children during the time that the colony has lasted, among which was a pediatrician, health personnel and free time monitors.
Despite the practical workshops on nutrition that children who have participated in the colony have received, the purpose of these colonies are not purely sanitary."It is possible that the child takes the disease from a positive point of view," explains the ADT manager, who considers that it is very important that they normalize and accept diabetes.
As a novelty, this year the parents were convened one of the days of the colonies to offer them a talk "about the new updates in the treatment of infant-juvenile diabetes", given by the pediatrician-endocrine Roque Cardona and to which they attended nearbyof 60 relatives.Above all, there was talk of "insulin pumps", "glucose sensors" and beta cell research.
The colonies for children with ADT diabetes say goodbye until next year, with the intention of continuing to help the little ones to live with their illness and be well controlled to avoid complications.The tools are the workshops and games that prepare them for their daily lives.
