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James L. Holly, M.D. |
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James L. Holly,M.D. |
April 15, 2005 |
Internal Memo |
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Summer camps are popular for children and their parents. It often gives a chance to spend time outdoors or pursuing a favorite sport, such as tennis, football, hockey, etc. and even academics. There are camps for almost any need, including day camps, overnight camps, and even camps overseas.
There are also camps for children with special needs, including diabetes, autism, asthma, cancer, tourettes, epilepsy and those with physical disabilities or developmental delays. These camps can help children learn more about their medical condition, and more importantly, meet other kids with similar problems and help build their self esteem.
How do you find a summer camp for your child with special needs? Your pediatrician should be aware of camps in your area that your child could attend.
Of course, you could also look online. The American Camp Association, www.acacamps.org, has a useful search feature, where you can input your child's medical condition and what state or region you would like to find a camp in. It also has information on camps available to all children.
What should you look for in a summer camp for children with medical problems or special needs? One of the most important things you should look for is that there is constant medical supervision. A medical professional should be available at the camp at all times. Other things you should look for before sending your child to camp include:
Is your child is ready to or does he want to go away to camp?
Will he be able to continue taking his daily medicines?
What is the procedure if your child develops a complication of his medical problem?
Is the camp accredited by the American Camping Association?
How well supervised will your child be? What is the ratio of campers to staff?
What kind of training do the staff have?
Is financial support or assistance available if you can not afford to send your child to camp?
A checkup with your Pediatrician before your child attends camp is always a good idea.
You can schedule an appointment with a SETMA pediatrician by calling (409) 833-9797 or using our online patient services under the patient section.
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