Staying healthy at summer camp
With summer camps around the country beginning in the coming days or weeks, it is important to review some guidelines and tips to keep your campers healthy.
Summer camp for your child likely means close interaction with numerous children, and this of course means germs!
·
HAND
WASHING!!
o Educate
and encourage your child to wash his/her hands frequently between activities
and always before eating and after using the restroom.
o In
your child’s backpack, place a small bottle of hand sanitizer for them to use
if they can’t get to a sink before having a snack. Ask your child’s
counselors to take the children by the restroom/sink before any snacks or meals
to ensure all children wash hands!
o Do
not share drinks
Outdoor activities are a favorite part of the day for many campers. All the exercise they get during the day is excellent for their overall health, but certain precautions should be taken to prevent injuries and keep them on the playing fields instead of on the bench.
·
OUTDOOR
TIPS
o Make
sure your child has a pair of sneakers with socks which are worn at all outdoor
activities. Never run outdoors in sandals.
o Anytime
they will be outdoors, sunscreen should be applied. Recommendations are to
apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or greater 20-30 minutes prior to outdoor
activities. And remember to have them re-apply their sunscreen after
sweating, swimming, or toweling off. Click for more sunscreen tips.
§
Consider
packing a spray sunscreen with your child so they and their counselors can
apply it thoroughly and evenly.
o Does your child have swimming
scheduled early in the day?
§ Apply
sunscreen to their skin prior to leaving the house in the morning to ensure
proper application and adequate time for absorption.
o Hats
and UV protective sunglasses should be worn while outside to help limit sun
exposure to the face and eyes. Talk with your camper to discourage the
sharing of hats between their friends to prevent the possibility of sharing
lice or infectious agents.
o Bugs
are an unavoidable part of outdoor summer activities. Provide your child
with a bottle of bug spray to apply before heading outdoors, especially if they
will be doing any nature walks or scavenger hunts which may take them into
wooded areas. Long pants and high socks are also encouraged if the camper
will be in any wooded areas to help prevent ant, mosquito, and tick bites.
·
SWIMMING
POOL TIPS
o Whether
your child is a strong swimmer or has never been in the water before, it is of
utter importance to discuss swimming pool safety. Ask if your camp has a
swimming test prior to allowing children to swim freely. This allows the
camp counselors and lifeguards to know which children can be in certain areas
of the pool (i.e. deep end or shallow end only).
o Commonly
known as “swimmer’s ear”, this is an infectious process affecting
the external ear and is often caused by retention of water and bacteria
in the ear canal after swimming. This is a common occurence for
children during swim season. Symptoms include pain on movement of the
external ear and possibly redness and swelling of the outer ear. If your
child is experiencing these symptoms, it is important to have them evaluated by
their physician before they return to the swimming pool, but don't
panic, cases are often resolved quickly with topical (cream)
antibiotics and ear drops. Prevention techniques can include a tight
fitting swim cap or prescription ear drops. If you child has had
swimmer’s ear in the past, talk with their physician about additional ways to
prevent recurrences during this swim season.
For specific
questions on summer camp safety tips, please consult with your physician.
Read more
articles from All Things Pediatric
All the outdoor activities associated with summer camps need not worry parents and teachers. There are a number of precautionary measures that can be observed to ensure that the health and welfare of children are maintained.
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