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Summer camps can be an enriching experience for your child. They can provide new adventures and extra education for kids while keeping them occupied and happy during summer break. Choosing the right camp generally involves knowing what experiences your child might already like as well as trying out a few new things. From a medical standpoint, you want to be sure to choose a safe environment and an age appropriate camp for your child. This article will cover these basics as well as how to deal with illness when away from home. Additionally, specialty camps for kids with medical problems will be discussed.
Choosing a summer camp for a 10 year old is obviously different from choosing for a pre-school or early elementary child. Children age 4-7 years tend to enjoy day camps. An 8-10 year old child will enjoy day camps and may be ready for overnight camps. Your child’s experience with being separated from home and his personality can help determine if he is ready for this step. Children age 11-14 are usually ready for overnight camps. Sports camps are also very popular for this age. Additionally, special interest camps can help an adolescent develop a talent such as music or drama. There are numerous camps to choose from, and fortunately, we have many good options in our area.
The American Camp Association (www.acacamps.org) is an independent agency which accredits summer camps. This is a good place to start when searching for a camp a little farther from home. They actually visit camps every three years to ensure that the camps are still performing well. Not all camps choose to pursue ACA accreditation, so calling/visiting the camp when possible is also a good idea. Overnight or residential camps should have health care/nursing personnel, lifeguard supervision for all water activities, health ratings for kitchen/food areas, safety equipment for specific activities (i.e. helmets for horseback or biking, life vests for boating, etc.), CPR certification of counselors, and especially adequate numbers of counselors to supervise the children.
Once you have chosen the camp you and your child prefer, it’s time to get ready to go. A check up with your pediatrician may be required for registration. Immunizations should be up to date as well as refills on any medications. When sending a medication with your child, be sure to label it clearly. The pharmacy label should be intact and easy to read. Written instructions from you for any over the counter medications are also a must. Assume that the nurse/health counselor dispensing medications will have many children to care for, so be as clear as possible about medication times and dosage. Be sure to send sunscreen and insect repellent with your child and instruct them on how to use it. Tell them if they get a tick bite or sunburn, to let a grown-up know. The same rule applies for any illness that may occur. Kids can sometimes be hesitant to approach adults if they are having a problem. Let them know it is okay to report to a counselor if they are sick or hurt.
Lastly, if your child has a special medical condition, there are several camps suited for their needs. Camp ASCCA on Lake Martin provides camping experience for children with disabilities. Camp Rap-A-Hope in Citronelle, AL is a specialty camp for children with cancer. The American Cancer Society also has a camp for cancer survivors and their siblings located outside of Nashville. Camp Wheeze-Away is a summer camp for asthmatics. Camp Seale Harris is a camp for diabetics. Both of these camps encourage campers to be more independent in managing their illnesses while having specialized staff to ensure safety. Your medical specialist will also be able to guide you in choosing a camp for your child with special needs.
Pediatric Associates of Auburn
At Pediatric Associates of Auburn, our board certified pediatricians, Doctors Freeman, Royal, and Stubblefield, along with our staff are committed to providing accessible and quality healthcare to infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. We offer routine well child visits, sports physicals, in-office laboratory services, same day acute visits for sick children and many more convenient services.
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