School is winding down for the year, and it is almost time for vacation and summer camp. If it is the first time your child is going to summer camp, you might have some apprehensions about keeping them safe while they are away from you. While swimming, boating and hiking are great memory makers, they can add additional safety concerns when you are not there to protect your child.
While there simply is no way to control everything, local pediatricians weigh in on ways to keep your child safe and healthy at summer camp, whether it is a sleep-away experience or a day camp.
One of the most important things you need to do as a parent is select the summer camp that best meets the needs of your individual child.
Anne Marie Coughlin, D.O., a pediatrician at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, part of Jefferson Health, told Metro, “When selecting a camp, consider your child’s interests, skills and overall health. Make sure camp is inclusive and can take care of kids with chronic medical conditions like allergies, ADHD and asthma.”
Katie Lockwood, M.D, M.Ed., a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia pediatrician, agrees, adding, “Choose one similar to how you would think about a school. If your child has a chronic condition, you may prioritize an on-site nurse or physician depending on their needs. Make sure the camp has a system for administering medicine. Does the staff have the knowledge and experience to administer medicine? Do they understand how to escalate through the emergency plan? For example, when and where to seek additional care and when to contact the parents.”
Coughlin emphasized, “We want camps to have appropriate processes for taking care of the health of campers. If there is not a doctor or nurse on site, there should be someone available for campers’ routine care and emergencies.”
Add these questions to your checklist when looking at camps:
If your child has a chronic medical condition such as food allergies or asthma, then a camp with a doctor or nurse on site or on standby in case of an emergency is essential. Only properly trained staff members should oversee medication administration.
And as the parent, it is your responsibility to provide the camp with your child’s medical history and any medications they must take. Be sure to include detailed information on proper dosage and storage.
It is also a good idea to schedule a pediatrician visit before the start of camp to address any concerns you have and to make sure all immunizations are up-to-date, Coughlin and Lockwood advised.
At that visit, Coughlin said to make sure your child’s symptoms are well-controlled and that there is a plan in place for emergencies.
She added any medicine your child needs should be sent to camp ahead of time with an explanation of how often it should be administered and what the proper dosage is.
Even if your child doesn’t have a chronic condition, Coughlin explained, “Every camper should have a health evaluation, whether it’s the annual checkup or an added visit. We are always happy to discuss any concerns with parents.”
For day camps, Lockwood emphasized the importance of keeping your child home when sick.
“Germs spread quickly through camp, especially GI illnesses,” she explained.
Besides making sure the camp you selected is prepared for your child, you also need to make sure your child is ready for the camp experience, especially if it is a sleepaway camp.
Coughlin explained that the readiness of a child for summer camp depends on each family, and each child. Generally, though, if a child is school-age and doing well, then they will most likely do well at camp too.
“Discuss homesickness with your child and involve them in choosing their camp. Have your child practice being away from home with a sleepover with a relative,” she advised.
Lockwood added, “Not every kid is ready for a sleepaway experience at the same age. Strategize how to handle homesickness like taking photos of family members with them and writing letters home while at camp.”
Experts also recommend having discussions ahead of time with your child about regularly applying sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher and wearing hats and sunglasses when spending the whole day outdoors. Also emphasize the importance of staying hydrated. While some camps may have built-in breaks to remind their campers to do all this, many rely on the campers themselves to remember to take these protective measures.
When sending extra provisions, Lockwood warned against sending drinks with caffeine because you can’t properly monitor their intake.
Also, be sure your child is comfortable applying bug spray and doing skin checks for ticks after long hikes in wooded areas. They should always shower and change clothes as soon as they come back to camp to reduce the risk of getting bitten.
Discuss bike safety and the importance of wearing a helmet while on a bike, skateboard or electric scooter. Send a helmet to camp with your child to ensure a proper fit. You should also explain water safety and the importance of only swimming when a lifeguard is on duty and avoiding swallowing water while swimming in a natural water source like a lake or pond.
The risk of abuse in a camp setting is another real danger that needs to be addressed, according to the Beau Biden Foundation. Keep an open dialogue with your child about what proper touch is and the proper physical boundaries to maintain with counselors and fellow campers. Make sure they are comfortable coming to you during and after camp if anybody’s behavior makes them uncomfortable.
Lockwood said, “Make sure your child understands what a camp counselor can and can’t do. Set what are appropriate boundaries ahead of time and remind them that they can talk to you about anything. Sometimes boundaries can get blurred with younger counselors.”
Both pediatricians emphasized that summer camp is very important for a child’s health. It encourages a healthy lifestyle, less screen time, and builds resilience and independence.
“It can be a wonderful experience as long as you take into consideration both parent and child’s comfort level,” Coughlin said.
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