parent guide - important info

Let us know.....

As you make those final arrangements for the coming summer, please be sure that you have taken the time to make certain you have shared all there is to share with us about your camper. Imagine the discomfort your camper could find himself or herself in if you chose not to let us know about medications taken on a regular basis, or if we didn’t know that your child was experiencing a difficult moment at home or within the family. Secrets can hurt! If you chose not to use a medication during the summer (sometimes referred to as a “medication vacation”), the impact of such a decision could influence not only your youngster, but also the other children in the bunk or activity. Sometimes family physicians and therapists aren’t quite aware of the summer camp environment and the structure and demands upon a camper during a two or four week stay. If you have questions, please, call the camp office to discuss them with a member of our administrative staff. Camps Airy and Louise reserve the right to send a camper home early should non-disclosed pre-existing emotional or physical problems create problems or interfere with the camp experience for your camper or other campers. Also, you’ll note that we have included a Camper Profile in this Parent Guide. Take a few moments to complete it and bring it to camp with you on opening day. This will go a long way in helping us get your camper into a camp frame of mind right from the get-go!

In addition to the above information...

We realize that, in some cases, campers are coming from family situations that involve divorce or separation. Please be certain to inform camps of the legal custodial parent arrangements prior to camp. This will go a long way towards facilitating appropriate communications with families. All matters of communication will be maintained as confidentially as possible with custodial parents. Non-custodial parent communications are at the discretion of custodial parents.

Sunscreen

At camp we always do our best to make certain that we remind campers to wear shirts and hats to avoid exposure to excessive sunlight. We do recommend that you be certain to pack sunscreen for your camper to apply to themselves. If we have your permission (on the enclosed Medical Form and/or Camper Profile), we’ll do our best to apply the sunscreen when we feel it is appropriate. However, we recognize that some campers have sensitivities/allergies to sunscreen. Accordingly, we cannot apply sunscreen, yours or ours, without your permission.

If your camper has asthma...

To help us care for your camper, please send the following to camp (make sure to send sufficient supply to last your child’s entire stay at camp):

• Immediate acting inhaler-at least two canisters; be sure camper’s name is on each cannister.
• Preventive inhaler-at least two canisters of whichever delayed-onset (slow acting, preventive inhaler) your child uses.
• Spacer for use with the metered-dose inhalers. Asthma experts recommend that an inhaler always be used with a spacer to ensure correct medicine delivery.
• Peak flow meter- Serial measurement of peak flow permits much more accurate evaluation of the degree of asthma than merely listening to the lungs; proper care of asthma requires peak flow measurements.
• Nebulizer- Each Health Center does have a nebulizer. If your camper has/uses a nebulizer, please consider sending it to camp so each camper can use their own nebulizer.
• Doctor’s order- A physician’s signed order with explicit directions for each and every medication or treatment your child will need.
• If your child is sensitive to aspirin or ibuprofen or related products PLEASE BE CERTAIN CAMP IS MADE AWARE OF THIS IN WRITING. In some children such medications can have a worsening effect on their asthma.