Minor injuries and illnesses are as much a part of summer camp as S’mores. With a little planning, you can help your kids avoid bug bites and other summer camp bugaboos like poison ivy rashes and dehydration. Here are six ways to prepare your kids for a day or sleepaway camp.
Manage medications. Review the camp’s medication protocols and complete all authorizations or forms prior to drop off. Talk to camp directors and counselors about your child’s medication needs. At drop off, confirm counselors have all prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, inhalers or EpiPens.
Hydration is critical. Drop kids off with a full tank by giving them a big glass of water or milk with breakfast. Send them with a full water bottle. Make sure camp leaders keep extra water handy for refills.
Load ‘em up with sunscreen. Pack your child’s backpack with UVA/UVB sunscreen SPF 30 or higher. Apply a base layer before dropping off and ask camp leaders to remind your child to reapply it every two hours and after swimming, sweating or showering.
Pack insect repellent with DEET. Insect repellent can prevent itchy, uncomfortable insect bites. It also helps prevent insect-borne infections like Lyme disease and the West Nile and Zika viruses. Children under 10 years old should not apply insect repellent on their own.
Teach plant safety. Show kids images of poison ivy, stinging nettle, giant hog weed and other plants that should not be touched. If your child comes home with a mild rash, treat it with oral antihistamines. Wash the skin and clothing. Let blisters heal without popping them. Have your child take short, lukewarm baths and apply calamine lotion or a hydrocortisone cream and a cool compress.
Practice water safety. Sign your children up for swimming lessons before they leave for camp. Make sure they know not to enter the water unless there is a counselor or lifeguard present. Children who are not proficient swimmers should always wear life jackets, as should anyone who is boating, water skiing or jet skiing. Floatation devices, like water wings, should not be used as a safety device. Teach children not to drink from natural water sources like ponds, lakes or streams since these water sources often have germs that can cause serious infections.
Dr. Walsh is the medical director at Hartford Healthcare-GoHealth Urgent Care.