Pediatric Doctors and Summer Camp

Shortly, nearly 10 million children be going to Summer Camps. But before they go, health experts are issuing strong new advice to both parents and camp directors, and recommending new precautions to protect campers' health.

Recent guidelines by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the ACA (American Camp Association.) suggest parents be aware of their camps health and safety policies. Dr. Walton, is lead author of the paper and official policy statements.

The new policy statement for the first time advises parents to thoroughly assess whether a camp is right for their child's mental, emotional and physical well-being, as well as their interests and skills.

That means, Walton says, that camps should provide parents with a complete picture of what their programs involve, whether it's strenuous sports, rough wilderness camping, horseback riding -- or intense music or computer practice. If an activity raises risk for kids with certain medical conditions, for instance scuba diving and asthma, camps should tell parents about those risks ahead of time.

Long before camp starts parents need to be talking about homesickness with their child. Parents need to use their resources like with the doctor who does the child's pre-camp health assessment and fills out the health form.

Parents should also avoid making pre-arranged plans with their children about picking them up if they get homesick. This only gets kids thinking about the way out of camp. Only should parents discuss camp positively, avoid expressing doubts about a child's ability to avoid homesickness.

The new guideline recommends that the pediatricians get involved with their local camps to ensure sure that standing orders are up-to-date. They can also act as medical backups instead of the local emergency rooms at hospitals.

The guideline recommends that parents teach their children how to use rescue inhalers or EpiPens, before the kids go to camp. Parents need talk with camp directors about conditions that might require children to use their devices.

Delay in not having these items handy can have real health consequences for the child.

These guideline are set for traditional summer camps not for those camps with special needs. Yet it is recommend that all camps work with local pediatricians and health professionals to ensure that the best health care is in place for the children.

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