It is time to start thinking about Summer Youth Camps. But before your children head off, health experts are is suggesting both parents and camp directors, step up to protect the health and safety of each campers' health.
For instance, the experts say, parents should make sure to ask camp officials now what kinds of health services, including emergency response, their child's camp has in place. Campers should provide, and camps should require, a full health exam and list of any medications that campers use -- and let children have immediate access to emergency drugs for asthma and allergies. And parents shouldn't see camp as a time to give kids a "holiday" from drugs for behavior issues or mental health issues.
Even homesickness, a common psychological malady for campers, can be prevented with a little effort by parents and doctors in the weeks before camp.
Ina recent journal of Pediatrics, new standards were proposed for Summer Camps. Edward Walton, M.D. helped author a paper, outlining an official policy statement for the American Academy of Pediatrics and was produced in conjunction with the A.C.A. (American Camp Association).
"Summer camp, whether it's day camp or sleep-away, can be a great experience for children -- but it's crucial that parents, camp officials and medical professionals work together to make it as safe and problem-free as possible for children," says Walton, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine in the U-M Medical School who has studied camp health for 18 years. "We hope this new guideline can help with that process."
The recent study published in the journal of Wilderness & Environmental Medicine shows that almost half of camp health professional reported caring for children that needed significant medical attention. These including asthma, attention deficit disorder, epilepsy, diabetes, Yet nearly 50% camp health workers had medical training at the paramedic level or less. Camps by definition are remote so 40 percent reported it would take an ambulance over 10 minutes to get to their summer camp. Most of the nearby hospitals were rural and had limited services.
Walton feels parents and camp officials need to talk openly, before camp about all health problems their child might face at camp. Be clear on how the camp would respond, and how parents can be reached in an emergency.
All in all Overnight Summer Camps have a fairly clean record for health and safety. Ask the camp owners and directors how safe their camp is. Do you feel they are ready for your child? To learn more on how to pick a summer camp go to Summer Camp Advice. A FREE directory about Summer Camps
For instance, the experts say, parents should make sure to ask camp officials now what kinds of health services, including emergency response, their child's camp has in place. Campers should provide, and camps should require, a full health exam and list of any medications that campers use -- and let children have immediate access to emergency drugs for asthma and allergies. And parents shouldn't see camp as a time to give kids a "holiday" from drugs for behavior issues or mental health issues.
Even homesickness, a common psychological malady for campers, can be prevented with a little effort by parents and doctors in the weeks before camp.
Ina recent journal of Pediatrics, new standards were proposed for Summer Camps. Edward Walton, M.D. helped author a paper, outlining an official policy statement for the American Academy of Pediatrics and was produced in conjunction with the A.C.A. (American Camp Association).
"Summer camp, whether it's day camp or sleep-away, can be a great experience for children -- but it's crucial that parents, camp officials and medical professionals work together to make it as safe and problem-free as possible for children," says Walton, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine in the U-M Medical School who has studied camp health for 18 years. "We hope this new guideline can help with that process."
The recent study published in the journal of Wilderness & Environmental Medicine shows that almost half of camp health professional reported caring for children that needed significant medical attention. These including asthma, attention deficit disorder, epilepsy, diabetes, Yet nearly 50% camp health workers had medical training at the paramedic level or less. Camps by definition are remote so 40 percent reported it would take an ambulance over 10 minutes to get to their summer camp. Most of the nearby hospitals were rural and had limited services.
Walton feels parents and camp officials need to talk openly, before camp about all health problems their child might face at camp. Be clear on how the camp would respond, and how parents can be reached in an emergency.
All in all Overnight Summer Camps have a fairly clean record for health and safety. Ask the camp owners and directors how safe their camp is. Do you feel they are ready for your child? To learn more on how to pick a summer camp go to Summer Camp Advice. A FREE directory about Summer Camps
About the Author:
Swift Nature Camp is a American Summer Camp for boys and girls ages 6-15. Our focus is to blend traditional summer camp activities with that of a Animal Summer Camp.
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