The SpecialMoms Parenting Magazine 2nd Issue | Page 37

Preparing for a Safe Summer Camp Experience

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Before beginning this process, talk with your allergist and come up with a medical food allergy action plan.

Seek out camp references from other food allergy parents who are well seasoned in summer camps. But
remember, even if they answer your questions about any given topic, still ask the camp director to be sure
that nothing has changed.

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Contact the camp prior to registration to ensure that the director welcomes your child’s needs, find out if
there is a camp nurse on site, and ask lots of questions about food preparation, storage, cleaning policies,
and how they handle medical emergencies.

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Once you have chosen a camp (or two), check in with the director and/or camp nurse again to ensure that
they are ready to care for your child. Find out where the nearest hospital is located, what their communication
policy looks like and whether or not the staff is trained & educated about food allergy symptoms and
treatments.

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2-4 weeks prior to camp, contact the camp director and/or nurse again. (There is no such thing as too much
communication when dealing with food allergies.) Go over your child’s medical action plan and ask specific
questions. What is the menu for the week? Is there a nut-free table where my child can sit? What’s the hand
washing policy for kids to wash their hands and face after they eat? Will there be any craft projects using
your child’s allergens (e.g., bird feeders with peanut butter or paint containing egg, etc.)? Who will carry
your child’s medicine if they can’t self-carry? And last but not least, who will administer the epinephrine
should your child have a reaction?

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On the first day of camp, arrive early. Take a copy of your child’s medical food allergy action plan and all
medications (I always want to include at least 2 epinephrine auto-injectors) and review it with the director,
nurse and your child’s camp counselor. Be sure that your child wears his/her medical ID jewelry and knows
what and where he/she will be eating.

Lauren Kossack
Lauren Kossack is the founder and author of t H