During winter's deep freeze, thoughts of summer are filling the minds of millions of parents of school-age children as summer camp sign-up deadlines near. More than 10 million American children attend camp each year.
Will it be soccer, music, or computer camp this year? No matter what kind of camp your child might attend, parents should ask camp organizers the same basic questions about how they keep kids safe, handle medical emergencies, and deal with routine health needs, says Edward Walton, MD, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist at the University of Michigan Health System who studies camp health issues.
Camp Should be Great
"Camp is a great experience for kids, and helps them grow and develop emotionally and socially," says Dr. Walton. "But when choosing a camp, parents need to make sure they're comfortable entrusting organizers with their child's health. Asking a few questions now can help you have peace of mind this summer."
How prepared is the camp to handle medical emergencies and camping's little mishaps? What are the credentials of the camp health officer? Paramedic training? Nursing? Where do ambulances responding to emergencies take children? To a nearby small or rural hospital? How long does it take an ambulance to get to the camp? Is the camp accredited with the American Camping Association, which has even more stringent health requirements than state laws?
What's the camp's philosophy? Is it a general camp or a specialized one? How much physical activity do campers have, and what's the potential for injury during those activities? If it's a sports camp, are trainers and coaches prepared to handle sprains, strains, heat stroke, and other emergencies?
Who supervises the children? What's their age, experience, and first-aid training? Inexperienced or young counselors may not be able to respond as well in an emergency as more experienced or trained ones. And instructors in especially risky activities - such as horseback riding, swimming, water sports, and adventure hiking - should have more training in safety measures and first aid. Dr. Walton notes that the majority of the small number of deaths that occur each year at American camps are caused by drowning.
Does the camp conduct background checks on counselors and other staff? You're looking for a "yes" answer here.
What's the supervision for trips away from camp? Field trips are often an exciting change of pace for campers, but parents should ask about the ratio of chaperones to campers, and the requirements for drivers of vehicles campers ride in.
How are campers' medications and special dietary needs handled? More children than ever use prescription medications for asthma, behavior and mental health disorders, allergies, diabetes and other conditions. Awareness of food allergies and dietary restrictions is also rising. Parents should check on how camps store and dispense daily medications, whether they allow asthma inhalers and "epi pens" to be kept in cabins for asthma attacks and allergic reactions, and whether they can tailor meals to meet special diet needs. Dr. Walton also cautions parents not to see summer camp as a time for their child to take a "medication holiday" and halt their use of behavioral drugs like Ritalin. The new experiences and social situations of camp don't mix well with a sudden change in medication.
Do you need to buy extra health insurance or will your insurance cover local medical care? Many camps require parents to buy additional insurance coverage for their children, or to provide proof that the child is covered by an existing policy. And, many HMOs and other insurance plans require special permission or immediate notification for medical care delivered in areas outside a local "network" of doctors and hospitals, even for emergencies. Dr. Walton advises parents to check with both the camp and their own insurance company.
If your child has a chronic condition, is the camp prepared to handle it? Many parents of children with diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, and other chronic conditions know that medicine and special precautions make it possible for their child to have a normal life most of the year. But camp can present special challenges, especially if a child needs routine medicines or foods, or might suffer an emergency that camp counselors don't know how to handle. Parents should be realistic about their child's health and choose a camp that can handle day-to-day issues such as insulin shots, and crises such as seizures.
What's the camp's policy about phone calls, and homesickness? Psychological well-being is just as important as physical health, Dr. Walton notes, and he urges parents to find out whether their child will be allowed to call home if he or she is feeling homesick. But parents should resist the temptation to retrieve a homesick child from camp immediately, he adds. Talk with counselors first and see if they can address the issue. Parents should avoid sending mixed messages by saying, "I wish you were home." |
