Camp physicals can be more than just a quick formDate: 4/2/2019 SPRINGFIELD – You’ve signed your child up for camp. The next step is filling out the forms required, including the annual camp physical form.
Your child has already had his or her annual wellness visit so no problem, right? Just drop off the forms and have them filled out.
Yes… maybe. According to Dr. John O’Reilly, division chief, Baystate General Pediatrics, it all depends on the child, their overall health and the camp they will be attending.
Do you need a camp physical?
“There are some instances where a kid is perfectly healthy and they have had their wellness visit, there is no need for another exam,” O’Reilly said. “You get a sense from the parent that nothing has changed [health wise], they have attended the camp before, and know the activities.
“However some kids have a chronic illness – asthma or diabetes or a seizure disorder – that would be impacted by camp. We would probably want to sit down with the family,” O’Reilly said.
In these situations, he said the pediatrician might want the child and parent to come in for a visit to discuss any medications the child is taking, that these medications are being taken regularly, and that the parent has “everything they need for an emergency kit” that they can provide to the camp.
For example, if the child has a seizure disorder and they are going to an overnight camp where exercising in the heat, or a different diet, or diarrhea could throw off a child’s metabolism, the camp nurse would need to have that emergency kit – and health instructions for that child – in case a breakthrough seizure situation arose.
The same is true for a camper with diabetes. “You need a plan for days with extra activity” so the child does not experience significant low blood sugar numbers – and that the camp is prepared to deal with them if they do occur, O’Reilly explained. With asthma or an allergy that requires an epi-pen, O’Reilly said the pediatrician would want to be certain the child has the proper rescue medications prepared to go to camp, and that the parent is comfortable that there is a person or persons at the camp qualified to administer the medications if necessary.
A child with recognized emotional issues might be another reason a pediatrician might want to see the family for a camp physical visit.
“[The child] is a little more anxious, or has separation anxiety going to school or has [significant] ADHD, or a lot of aggression or anger issues, we may want to sit down and discuss what medications [the child] is on, and how the parent has prepared the child for camp,” O’Reilly said. “We may also want to discuss how the camp has planned to anticipate issues with this camper.”
Emergencies happen
How a camp plans to handle an emergency situation isn’t something only parents of campers with health issues should be concerned about, O‘Reilly said. All parents should find out what procedures are in place at the camp they’ve chosen for their child.
“Is there some sort of nurse at the camp? Can they give medications if necessary? Does the camp have a policy to prevent the spread of disease – head lice or impetigo? What is the policy in place to communicate with parents [in such instances]?” O’Reilly asked. These questions are especially important if the camp is one of those very active adventure-style experiences, he added.
“They’re hiking the Appalachians for 12 days … what kind of first aid is available and who is trained to administer it?” O’Reilly shared as an example. He said a pediatrician might bring up such issues “so a parent is aware going in and asks these types of questions.”
Is the camp a good fit?
Receiving a camp form for an experience that doesn’t seem a natural fit for a child may also prompt a pediatrician to ask for a camp physical visit to discuss any health risks the camp might pose.
“If the child sits and plays video games, putting him in a football camp is not only a risk for orthopedic injuries but also for heat-related injures,” O’Reilly said. “A lot of times what we do is say ‘ let’s come in for a pre-camp evaluation.’” The pediatrician might then ask some open-ended questions about the camp choice “in a non-judgmental way” and inquire what the parents have planned to do to prepare their child for the activities at the camp, he said.
Immuniziation considerations
Forms for the international adventure camp experiences that are growing in popularity – or camps that are in specific locations – also trigger a camp physical visit, O’Reilly said.
“While I think the regular routine pediatric schedule of immunizations will protect any child from the usual things the will [encounter] in camp there are exceptions,” he said. ”There is a Boy Scout camp in New Mexico, where, because of the water supply, campers are more at risk for Hepatitis A.
“The same thing happens when kids are going to international adventure camps,” he continued. “We always move from the realm of normal vaccination schedule to what the CDC travel recommends.”
Travel to areas where illness such as Dengue Fever and Zika – for which there are no vaccines – should prompt a discussion with parents and campers about proper protection from mosquito bites.
He said regardless of the type of camp experience a parent has planned – day camp, overnight or adventure, parents should discuss basic safety precautions before the camp begins. These include using sunscreen to avoid sunburn, using an insect repellant with DEET – plus long sleeved pants and shirts and possibly Permethian on clothing – when mosquito and tick exposure are expected, recognizing problem plants such as poison ivy and sumac, and basic water safety.
“Each child is unique and might require a different consideration, as each camp brings in different risks that parents may or may not be aware of,” O’Reilly said. “Pediatrics is all about prevention … if it is an away camp are they bringing what they need? Is it the right camp for the child? Are they ready for it?”
|
