Has anyone been to an ADA Expo? Was it worthwhile? Is it geared more toward type 2s than type 1s? Would it be appropriate to take my teenage son who is the diabetic (type 1) in our family?
There will be an event about 1-1/2 hours away next month. Any thoughts that would help me decide whether or not to go would be appreciated. If it’s geared mostly toward preventing/managing type 2, that wouldn’t be something I would be interested in attending.
I must be strange. I love trade shows. Having said that, I have attended an ADA expo and thought the show was very well done. The show is a place where almost all of the diabetes products you can think of will be on display in one place where you can finger, manipulate, play with and talk to sales reps, and maybe even rub shoulders with an expert or two. I found the seminars and presentations interesting and informative. I also received six CEUs for going to the expo.
Now, for your son. Is this something that he might enjoy? Are you looking for something special, like a pump? Is he scholarly enough to understand and enjoy some to the seminars that are offered there? If so, than it will be worth the day. I suggest you get the daily schedule of offerings and discuss with him the merits of going to learn and listen to all that is there. If the results are positive, by all means, take him. If not so much, go yourself, and you may tell him what he missed, or learn something on your own.
I am not a big fan of the ADA. I suppose they have their place, but all that I have ever received from them is a magazine filled with a bunch or recipes that I cannot use and a continuous stream paper begging for money. I did think they did a wonderful job of putting together this expo.
Thanks Brian. I’m not looking for anything special - wouldn’t mind seeing all the latest gadgets and gizmos and maybe seeing products that are in the pipeline. For my son, I was thinkng more of the seminars. He is quite scholarly and is as well versed on diabetes and it’s management as most adults I know - with the exception of the tudiabetes community 
Our local JDRF chapter has a great type 1 conference with informative sessions, but they won’t let anyone under 15 attend. Gary Schneier (sp?) is speaking at the next one, and I think it would be great for my son to be there, but at 13, he’s not old enough. I was hoping the ADA expo might have some similarly informative sessions. I looked online and can’t find a schedule of events. I’ll call Monday and see if it’s on the website and I’m just overlooking it.
There is no charge...;-)
But if you are looking for a big type 1 meetup, Friends for Life is one of the big one's...http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/activities/orlando2012/
That sounds fabulous. We can’t make it this year as my son will be on a backpacking trip at that time - maybe next year. Thanks for the info.