Planning a multi-week trip abroad can be daunting even when your kids don’t have major chronic illnesses. From our trip we discovered that there were many things we were prepared for... and some we weren’t. Below are the highlights of what we learned from our experience traveling with a child with type 1 diabetes. Of course, you should consult your doctor before planning your trip to create an individualized plan for your child. You may also want to contact your pump manufacturer for any specific issues that could come up.

1. Bring lots of supplies. Buying more sunscreen or toothpaste or laundry detergent is easy anywhere, but make sure you bring enough diabetes supplies—at least 30 to 40% more than you think you need. It’s much simpler than trying to navigate pharmacies abroad (where I had a hard time even communicating the need for something basic like Tylenol). Depending on your pump manufacturer, you may not be able to get supplies overseas. Our son has Tandem’s t:slim® Insulin Pump, which we love, and the company offered an extra pump to bring just in case something went wrong. However, rather than risk having the backup pump lost or stolen, we brought plenty of supplies to switch to shots if necessary.

2. Size does matter. If your child wears a Continuous Glucose Monitor, remember to pack some IV tape (or however you keep the sensor secured) and some little scissors with you. Kid craft scissors with blades less than 2 inches seem to get through security. A family ahead of us in the security line had craft scissors just a little longer which were taken away.

3. Divide and conquer. For peace of mind, we packed redundant supplies/testers in two different carry-ons, and divided the consumables. That way if something happened to one bag, we had the other as a backup. I also made sure to have one site change, and insulin and glucagon in my purse at all times.

4. Don’t forget the medical ID! No one plans to get separated, but it can happen at crowded places like Musée d'Orsay, um, just for example. Losing your child, even momentarily, is scary, but worrying about him hitting a low alone is terrifying.

5. Belt ‘em. As a safety precaution, our son wears a little SPIbelt—a small, stretchy belt originally meant for runners—that allows him to have his Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor and some glucose tabs always at hand.

6. Security woes. We learned that going through security can be daunting. Besides airport security, we faced screenings at most museums and landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower. Our son became anxious about the repeated ordeals. Unfortunately there's no way around them, so just prepare and sooth your child as best you can.

7. It’s all in the bag. At the airport, you will probably want to skip the X-ray since it can disrupt insulin pumps and scanners. However, the TSA isn’t supposed to do a pat down on a child under age 12 (unless they record it, and that can slow you down). Instead, they will test your child’s hands for explosives and (depending on the enthusiasm of your particular agent) seemingly every single item belonging to the accompanying parent. To save time, have the adult going through security with your T1D child claim just one small carry-on.

8. In the air. Air travel can severely disrupt normal activity and eating habits. Make sure to wear warm socks, bring snacks and move around as much as possible on the plane

9. What’s Paris without croissants? Unless you and your T1D child have incredible self-control, you’ll eat more carbs than you would ever dream of at home, because what’s a trip to Europe without crêpes and chocolate croissants? Thankfully, the constant walking will probably keep your numbers better than you’d expect.

10. Earning your wings. Finally, our biggest diabetes surprise was that for almost three days after we got there (and again when we flew home), our son needed way less insulin than usual. We have no idea why. But it suggests a career as a transatlantic pilot might be a way for him to lower his need for insulin as an adult!